Given to Chance
by veronica.toon.7
Summary: Collab between slydog148: In the Outlands, a pack of African Wild Dogs struggles to survive. Afraid of drawing prejudices for their species from the guard, they isolate themselves from the Pridelands. Angered by this unfairness, one defies these limits and goes in the Pridelands to hunt, but what will happen when he meets with the guard?
1. Drylands

**Chapter 1: Drylands**

 **Hello everyone. Back with another Lion King story, and this time it is a collaboration with the awesome slydog148. Have you've ever noticed that the Lion Guard seems, oh I don't know, a bit prejudice to the predators in their universe. From hyenas to jackals, to hyenas to leopards, aardwolves, drongos and vultures, you'd think they were purposely singling them out as the bad guys.**

 **In the Outlands, a pack of African Wild Dogs struggles to survive. Afraid of drawing prejudices for their species from the guard, they isolate themselves from the Pridelands. Angered by this unfairness, one defies these limits and goes in the Pridelands to hunt, but what will happen when he meets with the guard?**

 **Me and slydog148 own nothing but our characters and the idea for this story. All rights go to Disney. We don't own the cover image either. It's called "** **African Wild Dog" and it us done by WooflesArt on devianart.**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

The sun beat mercilessly down upon the barren, cracked ground, baking it even more. The few shrived trees stood out like dark skeletons with their branches reaching out to the cloudless sky. The only breezes across the dry land brought no cooling comfort, only choking dust that caused him to sneeze a couple of times as he attempted to smell out.

Ignoring the itching feeling in his nose, he lifted his head up and sniffed the air again. His lips peeled back in a grimace, revealing his sharp canines, as no scent was picked up. A growl rumbled up from his throat as he quickly sped up his pace, heading towards a different direction. He winced as sharp rocks pressed into his paw pads. Having lived his entire life in the hard and rocky terrain of the outlands had worn his paws down and made them very sensitive.

Soon his legs took him to the part of the outlands where the dirt turned to stone and great walls of it stretched out for many miles and scaled very high. Some parts cracked, letting pieces of it fall, while some parts had already descended and now blocked many areas. Yet he knew all the ways around them and could pass quite swiftly through them. He quickly climbed up the remains of the rock slide towards the top of the cliff.

Before he could reach the top, he paused. Above the cliff was the entrance to the Pridelands, the rich, lush savanna under the rule of the lions of Pride Rock. Prey was plentiful and predators were few, so hunting would be easy. If it weren't for the newest established Lion Guard. Having dealt with many predators with less then good intentions, near entirety of the whole of predators had been tainted by the nefarious ones. To go out and hunt would set himself at risk, as well as his entire species.

His ears suddenly twitched as it picked up the infinitely small sound of a heartbeat nearby. His muzzle tipped up and he took a deep waft of the sweet grassland. Within the scents of fresh, healthy plants, he picked up the faintest trace of prey. His mouth instantly began watering and his stomach ached with the prospect of delicious flesh.

The last bit of doubt vanishing, he took his first step onto the grass.

* * *

Upon the fertile savanna, a lone herbivore grazed. It's teeth ravenously tire into the tough plant fiber, as if it had not seen a meal for days. As the dik-dik engrossed itself in it's meal, it remained unaware to the creature hunkered down and stalking it a few paces away.

It's head suddenly lifted up and its ears swiveled around as it's large, dark eyes searched around it's environment. Seeing nothing but the waves of grass all around i, it resumed back to grazing, dismissing the small noise as merely a figment of imagination. It's head rose again as another swoosh of grass reached it's ears. By then it was too late.

The dik-dik let out several squeaky whistles of alarm as a sudden brown and white-patched blur darted forward and quickly seized its back in it's maw. The small deer bucked and squirmed, trying to escape the tightening grip of the predator, but with no avail. His paws shot forward to swat it back down, sending it sprawling on the ground. His teeth lunged for the body. In a moment, the body stopped squirming and became limp.

Releasing the deer, he looked over it to study his work. He had made little wounds on the deer, thus giving him less of a chance of being caught from the scent of blood. The deer itself, though small for it's species, was full grown and apparently well-fed, making it at least a decent meal. His stomach growled and hurt a little, yet he refused digging into the carcass just yet.

Seizing it by it's neck, he began dragging the body down into the outlands, towards his home.

* * *

"Saka! Saka!"

His eyes closed as he braced for impact as a trio of young African Wild Dog pups leapt at him. The three, his siblings, gleefully began crawling up his back and began tugging at his ears and fur. He remained stoic though and continued walking towards the rest of the pack. Five adults, two of which were his parents, looked up and smiled at the prey in his mouth. He walked to them before stopping and dropped the dik-dik before them. His head twisted back to look at his siblings, two sisters and a brother.

"Umeme, Maua, Obi," he said, "dinner." The pups immediately stopped biting him and looked at the deer.

"Yay!" The pups jumped off him before eagerly digging into it. As the pups ate first, an older male walked over to his side.

"A fine catch, son," he praised. He snorted and turned away from his father, who looked at him in concern.

"Saka, what's wrong? Aren't you proud that you were successful in providing for the pack," he asked. An irritated sigh came out of his mouth and he turned back to him.

"Yes, I am, but," he pointed over to the dik-dik carcass, "look!"

Already the pups had eaten the belly and were working their way through the shoulders and neck. And they were still eating as ravenously as they had started. Saka's father sighed and turned back to him.

"I know, I know, but at least you're preventing the starvation of the young of our pack." Saka snorted.

"Yeah, and by tomorrow or at least by evening tonight they'll be complaining that they're hungry again. It's bad enough I had to hunt on the very edge of the pridelands, but this," he looked at the pups again, "won't be enough to satisfy even one of them." He turned back as his father let out a sigh and bowed his head.

"You know you're not supposed to hunt in the pridelands, son," he said quietly. Saka's irritated expression turned to one of shock and guilt.

"I-I know dad, b-but-"

"You could've been seen by the lion guard and chased out." His father's head lifted up to meet his, a stern expression on it. "It's bad enough that our fellow species have given us the bad reputation of all predators, excepting lions and cheetahs, but if had you'd been seen, we would've been placed under the misguided assumption that we wish to break up the Circle of Life as well."

"But it was right by the border, dad," he protested. "I looked around and no one was there and I was sure to make it a quick kill with minimum blood and evidence that it ever happened there." He pointed to the pups again, already chewing on the legs. "I took the risk to make sure they would get fed today. Let them eat a real meal of real meat, instead of rats, insects, and meerkats. Let them eat and not starve out here today. Doesn't that excuse my actions this time!"

The two stared at each other, one with a still stern look and the other with pleading, almost begging eyes. Finally, the older male broke first. "I suppose it does, but you still could've risked our pack for them." His expression grew sad. "Believe me, son, I wish we didn't have to live this way. The Circle of Life had never intended for us, or any of the other predators and scavengers to live in these harsh conditions. But even the smallest actions can have the biggest outcome on everything and everyone. Creatures driven by greed, jealousy, gluttony, wrath, or even just the will to survive, can change the outlook on any species."

"But the goal is to push aside those prejudices, not allow the stereotypes to taint who we are," came a voice from behind and a female came out to sit by her mate. "No matter what they think of us, they can't change who we are. We are placed under the misconception of being greedy and selfish, we prove that we aren't by showing our integrity, honesty, generosity, and kindness to others." She paused for a moment and smiled. "And though we hope that this will never happen again, we are proud of you for taking care of the pups."

A smile came upon his face. "Thanks mom. I plan to go back out to hunt for the rest of us."

"Well, you might want to wait, son. There's a storm coming up soon and you how how bad they can be." Looking above he did notice several graying clouds above him. "Besides, you can't hunt without some food in you. You made the kill, you should at least get some reward for your hard effort."

He nodded and walked over to the carcass to take a few bites of the remainder of it.

* * *

"Stop, Janja! You won't get away with this!"

Impala scattered left and right as the hyena clan charged through it. Some grouped together and began running away from vicious predators while others ran off into different directions, away from the trap.

"Not a chance, Kion! Me and the boys are having fresh impala tonight." The others giggled in agreement.

"Not if we can help it. Lion Guard! Till the Pridelands end-"

"Lion Guard defends!"

The cheetah shot ahead, carrying the honey badger on her back. She came to the front of the stampeding impala and deposited the honey badger on the lead one's neck before going to the back of the herd. The honey badger grasped onto the head and turned it to the side, causing the impala to change course, the others following him as well. The cheetah was then joined by a lion and hippo who quickly closed in on the still running hyenas before halting them, preventing them from following after the prey. The honey badger came back and an egret joined in as well.

"It's over, Janja. You've lost, you're outnumbered. Go home. Now!" The lead hyena snarled at them, but then noticed the sheer force that amounted from the five of them.

"Fine, we're leaving!" He started to turn around along with the other, but then stopped and turned back to them, a sinister smile on his face. "But we're bringing along our new friend too!"

They charged towards the direction of the outlands. To the guard's horror, a young impala, separated from the rest of its herd, was being chased right into it as well. The cheetah burst ahead before the rest of them followed, desperate to save the calf.

The cheetah sped out faster then the rest and soon came to the hyenas. She moved closer towards him and, in a swift maneuver, swatted dust into the three's faces. Blinded and coughing, she ran ahead and bumped against the calf's side, diverting him from the edge of the canyon. Still distracted by the dirt in their eyes, the hyenas kept charging until they reached the edge of the outlands. As soon as they blinked away the particles from their eyes, it was too late and they tumbled head over paws down the sandy slope.

Once they recovered from the dizziness and throbbing pain in their heads, they turned up to the top of the slope at the guard glaring down at them. Janja snarled while his other hyenas whimpered and quivered at the sight of them.

"This isn't over Kion. We'll get those impala, as well as every other creature in the pridelands, including you. That's a promise," he barked up before hightailing to with the others deeper into the rocky Outlands. As they watched them disappear, the egret flew down and handed on the hippo's shoulder before turning to the lion.

"Kion, shouldn't we follow after them? Janja did sound rather serious of his threat this time and there are other ways to get in and out of the Outlands." Said lion looked up at him and nodded.

"You make a good point, Ono. Who knows what they have in store for the Pridelands, but it can't be anything good. Let's follow them and see just what they're up to. And if they try anything, we'll be right there to stop it. Lion Guard," he jumped onto the slope and began sliding down, "till the Pridelands end-"

"Lion Guard defends," they replied in unison back, following after their leader.

* * *

As one ventures deeper into the outlands, you find that the landscape changes drastically. Depending where you went, you would still find that it is much different from the savanna. Entering and turning to the right and staying in that direction the ground turned grey and cracked. Rocks became jagged and many provided dark caves that might lead into tunnels that spread out for miles underground. An active volcano was also in that area, constantly pouring out magma onto the earth, though never truly erupting.

Far out to the left the landscape turned to a cracked, dry wasteland. The sun constantly beat on the land, and for those caught out there for so long would certainly perish from heatstroke and/or dehydration. The only shelter from the sun was the huge, towering termite mounds, the only source of permanent residents in this part of the outlands. The insects infested any creature that wasn't a predator to them

Entering in directly through the canyon and you will soon find yourself surrounded by huge rock walls, extending for miles into the gorge. Rock slides, flash floods, and blasting winds in the canyon, as well as the steep slopes and unstable footholds, made living in this part precarious and dangerous. Food was scarce, consisting of rodents, insects, lizards and the very rare, lost herd animal. The only source of water was the thin, crocodile-infested river or in the morning when dew stuck to the ceilings of cave entrances, though it had to be licked off quickly before it evaporated as the day went on. Other times included when rain gathered in small depressions in the rock or in puddles, though they didn't last long either.

But the deadliest part of this part of the outlands wasn't the lack of resources, the dangers of the weather, or the unstable rocks. It was the canyon itself. Twisting and turning around for miles, breaking off into several parts and with an seemingly infinite amount of caves, tunnels and steep parts, unless you lived there, it was a miracle in itself not to get lost.

And that was what the Lion Guard were right now. Very, very lost.

And now a storm was forming up ahead.

Noticing it up ahead, the guard quickly searched the sides of the canyon where some caves could often be found. The keenest of sight soon spotted one that would be adequate enough to hold all of them and shelter them from the storm. Just as the first few drops began to fall, the guard squeezed into it. However, the combined sizes of a lion, egret, cheetah, egret, and a hippo made it very tight and it was all but impossible for them to squeeze in without bumping into one another.

"Ow, watch the feathers!"

"Hey! Who's stepping on my tail?"

"Um, Kion, could you please move just the tiniest bit away to the left. You're kinda poking my side."

"Would someone please stop poking my side?!"

"Man, it's really crowded in here."

"We know!"

As the rest tried to adjust themselves comfortably, the honey badger was left pressed against the far back of the wall. His arms spread out as he tried to make room, but as the tried to move further back, one of his hands suddenly fell way back into the cave.

"Huh," he exclaimed and he turned around as best he could to see what his hand had fallen into. A rather large crack marred the wall and far back into it was light. A grin made its way onto his face.

"Hey guys, I found a crack in the wall. Maybe we can fit in it to make more room," he said, already starting to wedge himself into it. Not everyone could turn their head back to see, but the cheetah could.

"That crack? Oh please Bunga, that is way to small for all of us. Well, except maybe for you and Ono," Fuli explained.

"Yeah, and egrets don't do well in tight spaces," Ono piped up, currently wedged between Beshte and Kion's bodies. Bunga just shrugged and began moving deeper and deeper into it.

The crack wasn't too tight, although he couldn't turn his head much and he had to shuffle, but he was making room. Occasionally his foot would hit a sharp piece of rock, yet it didn't bother him too much.

All of a sudden, he lost his footing and tumbled onto his side on the other side of the rock wall.

"Oof," he called out as his head hit... something rather soft. And furry. And it yelped?

The thing he landed on suddenly moved and he was left staring up to it while laying on the cold, hard floor. A pair of amber eyes stared back at his, widened in shock. The two stared at each other. He blinked. They blinked. Then-

"Guys! Hyena! Back here!"

"What!? Where?"

Bunga suddenly sat up, backing into the wall behind him. The shadowed figure shied back in surprise and suddenly turned around and raced out of the cave into the rain.

"Hey! Come back here, hyena," Bunga called out, running after him. From the other side of the crack, scuffling could be heard as the guard raced out of their cave, planning to join in on the chase.

Had Bunga had taken another moment to stop and look around before pursuing the figure, he might had noticed the other ones just like him pressed against the cave wall. They stared out worriedly into the rainstorm where out there their family member was being pursued by a honey badger and soon the rest of the lion guard.

One of the smaller creatures peeled off from the wall and stood by the entrance of the cave, staring fearfully for their older brother.

"Saka," they whimpered.

* * *

 **Interesting fact, Saka's name means 'hunter', while his siblings' names, in order of appearance, are '** **lightning',** **'flower', and '** **heart'. Anyways, I h** **ope you enjoyed the first chapter, there is definitely more to come. Please leave a review and hopefully I'll see you next time. Sincerely, v.t.7 and slydog148**


	2. Outland Spots

**Chapter 2: Outland Spots**

 **Hey everyone, thank you so much for those who read and/or reviewed our story last chapter. We're back to you with another chapter of it and we hope you enjoy it. Let's see what happens to Saka now.**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Rain was an uncommon sight in the Outlands. From the lack of soluble soil to absorb the water to the huge rock walls preventing winds bringing in rainclouds, the outlands were dry and barren. When rain did come down though it was a mixed blessing.

Rain could not be absorbed through the hard ground as easily as in the Pridelands, so most water just gathered together and created puddles and the like. Sometimes, however, if there was too much of it, flash floods could break out, mercilessly sweeping away anything and anyone that was unfortunate to get in its path.

The benefits of water coming down from the sky was that it cleansed the air, wetting down the dust and making it easier to breath. The weighed down dust also made for easy, non-sneezing trekking through the canyon. However, as of this moment, Saka wished it would remain dry.

Raindrops fell hard onto his body, making him feel as if he was being pelted by pebbles from all sides all at once. The water stung his eyes, blurring his vision. The ground he was running on was slippery and difficult to get a good grasp onto. Ledges in the walls were no better and he dreaded what would happen if he attempted to climb up. However, being caught by the guard pursuing him from behind made him fearful even more.

From above him, a white blur swooped through the sky. The heavy winds were affecting Ono's flying patterns, causing him to flap his wings harder and faster to remain stable. The tight canyon walls only heightened the force of the air flow.

"Whoa!" Ono cried out as he got caught up in a particularly strong gale. His already tiring wings gave out, sending him freefalling in the direction of the force. His body hit the canyon wall hard, eliciting a cry of pain from him before he peeled off of it. Beshte quickly ran beneath him, acting as a cushion to which the egret could fall back on.

"Ono! You alright buddy?" the hippo asked. A pained groan escaped from the small bird.

"N-no. M-my wing," he answered, "I think it's sprained."

"Oh, don't worry buddy. I'll carry you," the hippo offered. "Just try to hold on."

"Thanks Beshte," Ono replied gratefully, flopping over and moving towards his friend's neck to stay more secure.

"No problem. Now let's go catch that hyena!"

"Fuli, can you try to catch up to the hyena and cut him off?!" Kion called out.

"The ground's pretty slick to run on, but I'll try!" she replied. With a burst of speed and some swerving, she raced ahead of the group and began closing in on the animal ahead. "I've got you now!" she called out, beginning to accelerate to his side.

The canyon then curved to the side, bending the once straight path. To Fuli's shock, the hyena suddenly halted, skidding across the wet ground. His front paws surged forward, affecting his path and allowing him to turn more efficiently. Struggling against the slick traction, she attempted to do the same. However, her much faster speed and poor timing resulted in her smacking against the stone wall, allowing him to gain more ground. While Bunga and Kion kept in pursuit, Beshte rushed over to check on her.

"Fuli, you alright?" he asked. The cheetah groaned and shakily got to her feet. Wet dirt clung to her fur as she frowned in displeasure.

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine." She then narrowed her eyes at the fleeing figure. "I'm not going to be outwitted by a hyena that easily."

* * *

His lungs ached with each breath and he felt as if he collapse at any stride. Still, forcing the tiredness back, he pressed on, hoping his experience navigating the canyon would allow him to escape the group behind him. The rain had begun to decline, improving his vision. Taking a chance, he glanced back over his shoulder to see how close he was to the guard. To his surprise, he could not see anyone. He slowly began to stop running, now coming into a speed walk. His eyes narrowed as he stared harder through the rain, still wary that the guard hadn't just left or gave up.

Suddenly, a startled yelp escaped his throat as something barreled into his side and sent him off his feet. The wet ground sent him skidding back a few feet until he hit a depression in wall. There was an overhanging ceiling to the area, preventing rain from entering. Slightly dazed, he looked up to see his attacker, a young and smug-looking honey badger, staring right back.

"Haha! I've got you now, hyena!" he proudly exclaimed. Just then, the rain clouds started to dissolve, lighting up the landscape once more. The honey badger covered his eyes with his paw, trying to adjust to the change in light. When he lowered his arm again, he gasped in surprise at the revealed cornered animal.

"Wait a second, you're not a hyena!" Saka's ears flattened against his head as he stood back up, looking irritably at his accoster.

"And you're not an aardvark, but you don't see me complaining, do you?" he countered flatly.

"Well, if you're not a hyena, then what are you?" Bunga asked. Saka rolled his eyes and sat down straight.

"I'm a wild dog, genius. And one you've just chased out of his own cave no less." Bunga began rubbing the back of his head while smiling sheepishly.

"Oh, well sorry about the mistake, pal. Guess now I know why I'm not the keenest of sight in the guard," he said before chuckling weakly. Saka was about to respond when another voice cut him off.

"Bunga, where are you?" came Kion's voice. Bunga quickly turned and waved towards his leader and friends

"Over here Kion! And there's something here you might want to see!" he called out. The guard skidded to a halt and entered the cave in which their friend and the creature he had been chasing were sheltered. They all stopped near Bunga and looked suspiciously at the creature before him.

"Bunga, who's this?" Kion asked his friend.

"Oh, he's-," Bunga started, only to pause and turn back and looked confusedly at the canine. "Who are you exactly?" Saka sighed and stood up.

"My name is Saka and I'm part of the painted wolf pack of the Outlands," he explained. The rest of the guard began to lose their tension while Bunga maintained his perplexed expression.

"Wait, didn't you just say you were a wild dog?"

"Same species, different name. Pick which one you like best." Just then, a rumble of thunder came up from above and the rain started pelting down hard again.

"Ugh, it just had to rain while we were here," Fuli muttered in disgust. The rest of the guard looked as annoyed as her, even the water-dwelling Beshte. Saka sighed and stepped back further into the cave before gesturing to it.

"You'd better get out of the rain unless you wanna catch a cold. Besides, I've seen storms like this and it should die down soon enough," he explained. Cautiously, the guard slowly began to enter the cave, except for Bunga, who ran deeper in and plopped down next to Saka with a friendly smile.

"Gee, thanks pal! You know we really weren't planning on getting wet out there." Saka merely scoffed and looked towards the cave's entrance as Bunga shook the water off his fur.

"Then maybe you should've thought twice before chasing me out of my den in the first place, then none of us would be in this mess." Bunga's smile vanished as he glanced towards his friends before turning back to Saka.

"Well, uh, sorry. It's just that we thought you were a hyena and you were trying to escape us." Saka sighed and laid down, never once taking his eyes off of the entrance to look at Bunga.

"I was running because you fell on me and chased me into the storm. I'm just glad I know my way around the Outlands, otherwise I'd be vulture chow by now." He then looked back towards Bunga with narrowed eyes.

"And how do I know you five weren't going to attack me if I hadn't tried to flee?" His head then turned back and came to rest on his forelegs. Bunga began scooting back to his friends, a bit shaken by the new animal's scathing tone.

"Whoa, someone must've woken up on the wrong side of the den. Seriously, this guy makes Mzingo look cheerful," he whispered to the rest.

"Yeah, and he could at least act like he accepts the apology," Ono added with a frown. Before anyone could join in, Kion intervened.

"Now hold on guys, we just chased him out of his cave into the rain thinking he was a hyena. I'm pretty sure anyone who was in a position like that would be irritated with us," he explained. Beshte nodded in agreement.

"You're probably right. I bet he's not that bad once you get to know him," he added.

"Fine, but I've got my eyes on him," Fuli replied with a glance to the wild dog.

"Uh, technically that's my job," Ono said, standing on top of Beshte, "even with my wing busted, my eyesight hasn't changed." The cheetah simply rolled her eyes as she began to groom the excess water off of her coat.

"The least we can do now is wait for the storm to pass," Kion said.

"You don't have too long to wait now," Saka said, causing the rest to look back at him. He gestured towards the exit, and sure enough the storm had died down into a small drizzle as sunlight began breaking through the clouds above. "Like I said, it should die down soon enough."

He then stood up and stretched his legs before starting to make his way outside. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a pack to get back to." The rest if the guard exchanged glances for a moment before following after him.

"Hey, wait. Hold on a second!" Kion called out, causing him to stop and turn around to face them.

"What?" he asked irritably. The rest of the guard frowned at his behavior, but Kion stepped closer and stood straight before him.

"Look, I'm sorry that we chased you into that storm, and um..." he paused for a moment, "sorry, but I don't think we've been properly introduced." Saka frowned and shook his head.

"No need, I already know who you are, Lion Guard." The others' eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait, you know about us?" Bunga asked. Saka simply nodded as he raised his paw.

"Please, everyone knows who you are, Bunga, Ono, Beshte, Fuli, and the fearless leader himself, Kion," he explained flatly, pointing to each of them as he spoke. Fuli frowned and flattened her ears at his tone before stepping closer to him.

"Oh, and I suppose you know all about us, don't you?" He simply looked at her indifferently.

"Not everything. I'm just a hunter and tracker for my pack. All I know is that you defend the Pridelands from different threats," he paused, before continuing, "although I've gotta say, I'm kind of surprised to see the great Lion Guard so far out here away from the pridelands. Did you come here for a reason, or is running animals out of their homes during storms something you do as a pastime?" Several eyes narrowed in annoyance at this remark, but Kion shook it off and stepped even closer to him.

"Well, you see, before the storm started, we were-"

"Saka! Saka, where are you?!" a voice suddenly called out, interrupting him. All eyes turned to the side to see several painted wolves turn the corner before sprinting over to Saka. One halted at Saka's side while the other came in closer and began looking him over. The rest of the pack stood several feet behind after taking notice of the guard standing nearby.

"It's okay everyone, I'm fine," Saka told them. The other wild dogs behind them lost their concerned expressions and relaxed as Saka's parents sighed in relief.

"Oh, thank goodness you're safe, Saka." Afiya remarked as she nuzzled him, "When you were chased out of the cave I was so worried that-"

Afiya paused as she suddenly took notice of the Lion Guard like the rest of the pack. She suddenly placed herself in front of Saka, shielding him away from their sight. Kondo just looked confusedly at them before slowly approaching and stopping before them.

"The Lion Guard? What are you doing out here?" he asked, trying to keep the apprehension out of his voice.

"That's just what I was wondering, dad," Saka interjected before walking out from behind his mother to stand next to his father. His tone became sarcastic as he asked, "To what do we owe the pleasure of the great Lion Guard coming into our territory?" Kion glared at the young canine as his patience began to wear thin, but he quickly pushed this feeling aside to speak to Kondo.

"Well sir, my friends and I were after Janja and some of his hyenas after they tried to chase some impala into the Outlands. When we stopped them, we decided to follow them to make sure they wouldn't try coming back to cause any trouble. However, we got lost out here and had to take shelter during that storm, and that was before Bunga fell through a crack in the back of the cave we were hiding in and saw Saka and, well, you know the rest." Kondo nodded as he and the rest of the pack lost the rest of their tension.

"So, the five of you are lost out here?" Afiya asked as she came up to her mate's side. They nodded and Beshte stood up to speak.

"Yes ma'am, and the problem is we've never been this far into the Outlands and that storm made it hard for us to find our way back home from here. Do you think you can help us out by showing us how to get back to the Pridelands?" Saka then came up to them.

"As flattering as it is for you to ask for our help, what do you need us for?" He lifted his and pointed at Ono. "You already have the keenest of sight by your side, why not just have him fly up high enough and look for the quickest way to get back to the Pridelands?" he curtly remarked. Ono frowned and lifted up his hurt wing, wincing a bit as a wave of pain came over it again.

"I would do that, but my wing got hurt in the storm when we were chasing you, and I doubt I'll be able to fly anywhere until it heals."

"Which means you're going to need a guide who can show you how to safely navigate the Outlands to get back home," Kondo explained. Kion nodded in reply.

"Yeah, I guess we do," he said. Afiya smiled warmly at them.

"Well there's no need for you to worry, children. I am Afiya and this is my mate, Kondo. We are the leaders of this pack and we have lived in the Outlands long enough to know where you should and shouldn't go to get from here to the Pridelands. It would be our pleasure to help you five get home." The guard smiled back at her, happy to receive help.

"Thank Mufasa," Kion said in relief. Kondo then looked towards his son.

"And Saka will be the one who will show you the way back." Saka instantly whipped his head towards him with a look of shock and disbelief. The guard was equally taken aback by the proposal.

"Him?!" they all asked in surprise.

"I… Wha… Me?!," Saka exclaimed, jaw hanging in shock as he stared at his father.

Kondo simply nodded. "Yes, you son," he replied in a calm voice. Saka quickly glanced over to the Lion Guard, then back to his father. A weak chuckle escaped his throat as he turned back to them.

"Could you please excuse us for a minute? I need to talk to my parents," he asked. Kion nodded.

"Uh, yeah we need to talk too," he explained, before coming close to his friends to speak privately. Meanwhile, Saka drew his parents closer to his pack and huddled close to them.

"Mom, Dad," Saka began calmly, "you're my parents and I love you both, and as the leaders of our pack I've always trusted the decisions you make for us, but if you don't mind me asking…" he took a deep breath, before whisper-shouting, "have you both lost your minds?!" Despite the outburst, both remained tranquil.

"No son, we haven't. But can't you see why we asked you to do it?" Kondo asked. Saka shook his head rapidly.

"No, I don't. And I'm sure I don't need to tell you both how much I don't want to do it!" His paw pointed back towards them as he continued to whisper, "This is the Lion Guard! The same animals that chase and force out predators who don't abide by the rules of the Pridelands! The same animals who refuse to just talk things out and cast them out here, to this wasteland with only enough resources to provide for a colony of meerkats!"

Saka was breathing heavily, looking down to his paws while he regained his breath. He finally lifted his head to them, eyes narrowed in revulsion. "And you expect me to guide them out of here? You expect me to help those who would force us to stay out here if they found out we were coming to the Pridelands to hunt just so we can live another day? You really-"

"Saka! Enough!" Kondo ordered sternly. Saka immediately yet reluctantly ceased his rant in obedience, though the frustrated scowl on his muzzle didn't fade. Noticing his son's new behavior, Kondo sighed and reverted back to his previous stance, hoping to reason with his eldest pup.

"Son, I know you're not happy about this. And I'm not either. But just because we don't like it, doesn't mean we need to be hostile about it. These animals need someone to help them in their time of need, and that someone is you." Seeing that Saka wasn't entirely convinced, he continued, "You're the best tracker our pack has to offer, so you know every inch of this territory. I wouldn't have volunteered you for this if I didn't have faith in your abilities." Noting her son's still unenthusiastic behavior, Afiya came in.

"Besides, if you're so worried about their perspective on our species, then you can prove to them we're nothing like the hyenas or the jackals by assisting to get them back home. Showing them the pack's goodwill would do them well and," she reached out and touched his chest, right over his heart, "it would do you well too."

Knowing there was no way he could argue with the points his parents made, Saka let out a dejected sigh and nodded. "Alright, I'll do it. I'll show them the way back to the Pridelands and show them that our kind is not like the rest." His head then tipped up and his eyes narrowed slightly. "But that doesn't mean I'll enjoy it." The two older canines nodded and reached in to nuzzle their son lovingly.

"We wouldn't expect you to."

* * *

"Kion, are you sure about this?" Fuli asked doubtfully.

"Yeah, I mean, he's no hyena or jackal, but look at him. He's just so…" Bunga pointed to him, "grouchy."

"Not to mention rude," Ono added. Kion only nodded firmly.

"I am sure. Besides, what choice do we have? With Ono out of commission and with the five of us so deep into the outlands, this might be our only chance to get out of here safe and sound," he explained.

"And if they really didn't mean well, then why haven't they tried to attack us?" Beshte pointed out. Bunga and Ono nodded in agreement though Fuli still looked unconvinced.

"Maybe they're just waiting for the right moment to attack. And what if they're really working with the hyenas and just waiting for us to let our guard down before they all attack us?" she suggested. "Besides, you've seen how Saka's been to us so far, he definitely has it out for us. How do you know we can trust him?"

"I don't, I…" Kion sighed, trying to get his thoughts together. "Look, I know Saka's not the sweetest fruit in the tree, but maybe he's just like that. Maybe his kind really does mean well and they want to help us out?"

"Yeah, and besides, even if they are with the hyenas, we can totally take them on," Bunga added before looking towards the others, "right guys?"

"Right," Ono and Beshte replied while Fuli simply let out a defeated sigh.

"Fine, but the second he or anyone else in his pack gets out of line, I'm taking them down," she replied.

"Hopefully it won't come to that, but it's best that we still keep on guard. We'll put our trust in Saka and keep it unless he does something to break it," Kion replied. Coming to the consensus, the guard broke out of their huddle and turned back to the wild dogs, who had also let out of their private discussion. Kondo and Saka stepped before Kion, who nodded towards them.

"The guard would be grateful to have some assistance in getting out of the outlands from you." Kondo nodded at Kion's statement before looking towards Saka. The younger wild dog briefly glanced at his father before turning towards Kion with a resigned look on his muzzle.

"I would be honored to assist the Lion Guard by guiding you back to your homeland," he declared through gritted teeth. Kion nodded and then looked back towards Kondo.

"Thank you for your help," he replied gratefully.

"No, thank you. After hearing of all the beneficial things you have done to defend the Pridelands, we're honored to help those who help so many," he replied. Kion smiled before turning back towards Saka.

"Lead the way."

"Whatever," Saka muttered before turning back and walking. He faintly heard Fuli scoff behind him, but ignored it. Giving one last look towards his pack, he advanced towards the pridelands' entrance.

"Good luck, sweetie!" he heard his mother call out to him.

"I'm gonna need it."

* * *

Unbeknownst to the departing group, on a dead branch jutting out of the side on the canyon, a certain scavenger bird was watching them intently. His black eyes focused first on the guard, then to the wild dog leading them.

"Hmm, it would appear that the loathsome Lion Guard has made an ally in the outlands." A sigh escaped his beak. "How droll."

As he continued to watch the group of young animals, he noticed with surprise and interest that the canine had a frustrated and almost resentful look on his muzzle while the guard members wore expressions ranging from uncertainty to cautious. The honey badger had an excited look on his face, but he chose to ignore him.

"What's this? Not quite trustful of each other now, are they?" As he continued to watch, hidden from view, a spark of an idea formed in his brain. A sinister smile spread across his beak before he spread his wings apart and began flying in the direction of the outlands where a certain hyena clan lived.

"I'm sure Janja would love to hear this," Mzingo said to himself while in flight, "perhaps this will finally be the day the Lion Guard and the rest of the Pridelands fall under the might of the outlanders."

* * *

 **Hmm, what does Mzingo have in mind to tell Janja about the Lion Guard's current state? Nothing good, that's for sure. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review and slydog148 and I will see you soon for the next chapter. Sincerely, v.t.7 and slydog148**


	3. Unsheathed Rage

**Chapter 3: Unsheathed Rage**

 **Hey everyone. Happy New Year and here we have a new chapter. It took awhile to get out there, but hopefully it was worth it. We've got more on the way, so don't you worry.**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

The smell of ash filled the air and the drafts of hot air rising from the oozing magma lifted him higher and aided his flight into the hyena's territory. His narrowed eyes sought out the opening in the large rock structures where he knew the clan resided. Spotting dark hole protruding the landscape, he dipped in flight and came down swiftly down to the mouth of the cavern.

Heat from the molten rock blasted Mzingo's face as he peered in, spotting several hyenas either slouching around lazily or chewing on one of the many bones scattered around the cave, most notably their leader Janja, who was busy gnawing on a zebra femur with a disgruntled frown.

"Man, I'm starving," he heard one of them complained. His fellow pack member agreed.

"Me too. Hey Janja, when can we go out for some food? I know we just tried to get in the Pridelands and got run out again, but we're starving!" Janja didn't even bother to get up to face his subordinates.

"As soon as I come up with a plan to get into the Pridelands without the Lion Guard interfering again, then we can go!" he snapped.

"Then you might want to listen to what I have to say." A few of the hyenas finally took notice of Mzingo as he made himself known to them.

"What do you want, birdbrain?" Janja inquired, not even bothering to look at where the vulture was standing. Giving a slight scoff at this, Mzingo continued.

"I was just in the canyon part of the Outlands when I spotted the Lion Guard talking to the pack of wild dogs." He paused as Janja rolled over and sat up straight.

"Ugh, The wild dog pack," Janja remarked disgustedly "Those cowards wouldn't accept our invitation to form an alliance against the Guard, now they're meeting and talking them? Figures given how they choose to live their lives out here." His voice then took on a faux-wimpy tone as he mocked, "I'm a wild dog! I don't want everyone to think I'm a monster! We need to obey the Circle of Life!"

Several of the hyenas broke out in cackles at Janja's crude imitation while Mzingo scoffed, but pushed it aside.

"Yes, well I couldn't hear much of what they were saying, but I found out that apparently the Guard has gotten lost in the Outlands. What's more, the pack let one of their own members help lead them out of here."

"So what? If they want to help those pathetic Lion Guard members find their way back home, what does that mean to us?"

"Hold on, I haven't gotten to the best part." He paused to clear his throat. "While I was observing them, I noticed that the designated navigator looked positively resentful about being the one to lead the Guard out. Almost as if he loathed the idea of even being in the Guard's presence." A moment passed as an intrigued smirk came across came across Janja's muzzle.

"So the Guard's being led out by a wild dog who doesn't even like them, eh?" Mzingo nodded and flew down closer to him.

"If I may, I suggest that we take advantage of this excellent opportunity to take down the Guard once and for all. With their loathing guide and lack of knowledge of the Outland's terrain directly, we might just have the upper wing over them." Janja's grin grew wider as he leapt down to a ledge just a few feet above the rest of the hyenas. His pack grew alert and faced their leader as he announced his plan.

"Listen up! Like the birdbrain said, if we go and ambush them now while we have the advantage, we could prevent the Guard from ever returning to the Pridelands! And with the Pridelands unprotected, we'll be able to stroll in and hunt whatever we want, whenever we want! Now who's with me?"

He was met with loud, excited cheers of approval. Without a trace of laziness left from before, the pack raced out of the cave, focused and determined to take the Guard down in their current state.

* * *

The group was silent as they walked, the only sound coming from their feet making contact with the ground and the slight breeze across the walls. The Guard exchanged unsure glances with each other while their guide's face remained solely on the landscape. They felt unsettled by his quiet and stoic demeanor, a personality much different from the ones they were typically used to seeing. When he spoke, they immediately flinched.

"I'd stay away from canyon walls if I were you," Saka said, moving closer towards the center of the ravine. They followed, although confused.

"Um, why?"

"Scorpions." He responded as he tilted his head towards one of the walls. Ono's eyes as well as the rest followed until they spotted the large, black arachnid crawling out of a crevice.

"Hapana! How'd you know that was there? Even I didn't spot it until-"

"I could hear them crawling around. There's more of them. They like the canyon walls because of the heated rocks and cracks they can hide in." He paused. "Also when you grow up here, you tend to pick up a few pointers."

The Guard stared at him before turning back to the wall. Another scorpion had joined the other and the two now faced off, pinchers up and stingers poised to attack. The fact they could've been stung without even knowing they were there sent shivers down their spines.

Wanting to break the tension between them, Beshte spoke up. "So wait, you could actually hear those scorpions crawling around? I don't think even Kion or Fuli could hear that and they've got the best hearing of anyone I know."

"Yeah well, I inherited my mother's hearing and my father's sense of smell, so I'm able to detect things most animals would easily miss."

Trying not to take offense at Saka's cutting tone, Beshte continued. "Okay, look, I think maybe we got off on the wrong paw back there."

"Uh-huh."

"And I'm not sure if you're still mad about us chasing you into that storm, but we really appreciate you helping us get back home, Saka. We just want you to know that-"

"No offense, but I don't feel much up for chit-chat. Let's just keep walking and get you out of here." Fuli mumbled a few words about Saka being rude under her breath. Kion shot her a disagreeing look before trying to strike another conversation with the young canine.

"Look, if you're still mad about us mistaking you for a hyena earlier and that's the reason why you're not speaking to us, then we're sorry. Is that why you're mad? Because we didn't apologize for that?"

"That's not what I'm mad about," Saka answered as he turned to face the Guard's leader. "I'm just not up for playing navigator for the same animals who are responsible for making me live my life out here, but I'm willing to ignore that to get you out of here." Ignoring the confused and indignant comments from behind them, he tipped his muzzle up and took a deep breath of the air. The scent of dust and the small creatures living around here filled his nostrils, as well as the Guard behind them, yet the very faint scent of a marking made by his kind stood out like a flag. His kind as well as some others would often mark their scents on the rocks and boulders to act as signal markers when navigating the canyons.

He took another breath and this time his eyes widened in shock and he felt his hackles begin to rise. His mind raced to match the foreign smell that stood out like a zebra in a herd of gazelle. While he tried to focus, he failed to notice the irritated lion cub coming up to him until he had felt a paw tap his leg.

"What do you mean by-"

"Shh!"

Kion stepped back in surprise as the painted wolf suddenly shushed him. Fuli joined beside Kion's side to protest.

"Hey! Don't you shus-"

"Shh," he repeated before tipping his head up again. "I smell something unfamiliar. I need to focus." Confused, some of the guard tried to sniff the air, only to start coughing as dust came into their noses.

"I don't smell anything," Bunga protested as he came up. "What is it? More scorpions? A snake? Lizards?"

He shut his eyes, trying to block out the other's noises and focus.

"No. It's-," he took several more sniffs, "Oh no." His head tipped further and further up until it was pointed up at the top of the canyon wall. The scent of rock dust and rotting meat filled his nostrils and the sound of paws loudly coming across the stone ground reached his ears. His eyes opened and then narrowed as the familiar sound of wild cackling filled the silence.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? The Guard on our own home turf. What do you think about that boys?" The other hyenas laughed at their leader.

"Janja!" Kion called as he and the rest looked up.

"If isn't my least favorite Guard! What, you didn't find running into the Outlands satisfying enough?" His eyes narrowed over the Guard, then finally came to rest on Saka. "Say, I recognize you! You're one of Kondo and Afiya's pups! Saka, right? I thought we told you stay out of our territory, yet here you are guiding your new friends back home." Saka glared at him and growled, "They are not my friends." Bored with the reaction, Janja looked back at the Guard and smiled sadistically.

"And you five should've stayed in the Pridelands. You're on our turf now and we're gonna make you wish you never came out here!"

The six animals assumed defensive positions as the hyenas leapt down the cliff, using the ledges sticking out to get down to their level. One hyena leapt further and surged towards Saka. His forelegs wrapped around his neck, bringing him down and placing the two in a snarling, barking wrestling match.

"Twende Kiboko!" Beshte called out and charged for a trio of hyenas. He lifted them up and threw them into a wall as easily if they were twigs. The three moaned and groaned in pain as they stared up in dizziness.

"Guys, I need some help!" Ono cried as two hyenas below him hopped up and snapped at his feet and wings. Bunga went immediately into action, crying out his signature catchphrase and leaping onto one of the hyenas back before covering his eyes. The hyena, disoriented with the honey badger on his back and blinding him, blindly stumbled around. Bunga cheered as the hyena tried to throw him off before he used his weight to cause him to stumble into his fellow pack member.

Fuli ran across the canyon floor like a lightning bolt, grateful that her claws were providing enough traction on the ground to prevent her from slipping. Hyenas tried lunging for her, but she quickly dodged and swiped them off their feet. Chungu was a harder opponent as he was quite skilled at evading her hits. As he was keeping her focused on him, Cheezi began to creep up behind her.

Fuli finally managed to land a hit on him before her head swung back, just as a white, black, and brown blur zoomed across her vision. She watched as Saka wrestled Cheezi to the ground, preventing him from ambushing her. She had no time to watch though.

"Fuli! Behind you!" a voice from above cried out and she turned just in time to dodge a paw swiping her face. She pounced and landed several quick-time hits on him.

Kion was having his own trouble as he faced three hyenas. He jumped over one lunging towards him, making him crash into the wall behind him. Another hyena tried to hit him, but he dodged and whacked him back. The last one, feeling particularly determined, while Kion both took care of them, tried to pounce on the young lion. The hyena's eyes widened in shock when he realized he was soaring past Kion directly towards the wall. His companion yelped underneath him as he fell on top.

Kion let out a yell of surprise as a sudden weight slammed into him and he fell to the ground in pain. He yelped, but then was silence as a paw pressed his face into the ground while the other three kept him pinned. He could feel a hot, panting breath right over his ear and the low voice speaking into it.

"Say goodnight, Kion."

All of a sudden, the wight left him. He heard scuffling combined with growls, snarls, and barks nearby. As he got to his feet, Saka pushed off of Janja and came to stand by him. The lead hyena panted and growled at the two, assuming an attack position.

"Give up, Janja! You've lost!" Kion called out. Janja only growled deeper, but stopped when his eyes fell upon the rest of the Guard coming up. He could hear the groans and whines of his crew nearby, rendered ineffective after the fight. Knowing he had been beaten, he let a snarl come out of his throat and glared at them.

"Fine! C'mon boys, we're out of here!" The hyenas obeyed and fled, hoping to get as much distance between themselves and the Guard as possible. Before they all disappeared, Janja stopped and looked back at them.

"The next time we meet, you won't be so lucky!" He then followed after his pack, leaving Saka and the rest of the Guard to watch as each of them panted heavily.

All of a sudden, Kion swung his head towards the wild dog to his side and snarled at him.

"I should've known it was too good to be true!" he growled, "You and your pack are working with the hyenas, aren't you? This trek was all just a setup to take us down!"

Saka was briefly rendered silent, overcome with offended disbelief at Kion's accusation. Slowly, his shocked expression morphed into one of outrage as an infuriated glare appeared on his face. "I'm sorry, what?" Saka snarled. "You think I led you into that ambush on purpose?!"

Kion cocked his head in surprise as he stared at him, but then resumed his glare. Before he could speak though, Fuli stepped up and beat him to it.

"Well you were leading us and it's clear that you don't like us, so why not?!" she snarled.

"You honestly think I would stoop so low as to work with Janja?!" Saka retorted, finding it harder and harder to keep his temper under control. "Do you have any idea how much trouble he and his clan has caused for my pack?! What the heck do you take me for?!"

The guard lost their upset expressions, moving onto shocked and confused faces. Before anyone could respond though, Bunga was the first to speak up.

"Wait. So you're not working with the hyenas?" He then peered closer at him. "Are you working with the jackals then? 'Cause you kind of look like them."

From behind him, the Guard all turned and glared at the badger for fanning the fire more. Feeling even more insulted by Bunga's questions, Saka's glare intensified, and the Guard was beginning to grow worried that he might attack them.

"No! I'm not working with either the hyenas or the jackals! And I just because I'm a candid like the jackals does not mean I look like them!" Saka shouted furiously. "Seriously, is there any species in the Outlands that you don't think is a threat to your Pridelands?!"

The Guard appeared stunned at the question. Whenever the concept of the Outlands was brought up, the thoughts of aggressive hyenas, deceitful jackals, sadistic vultures, and, more recently, vicious, evil lions, came up. Not once had the idea of any decent creature aside from Jasiri and her family living in this harsh environment ever slipped their minds.

Bunga spoke up again, and at this moment the rest of the Guard wondered whether his bravery came from his complete lack of fear or his complete lack of a mind.

"Well, now that I think about it, aside from Jasiri and her family, I can't think of any other creatures who aren't dangerous to the Pridelands. I guess we just assumed-"

And just like that, anything restraining the wall holding Saka's full fury broke down, releasing it full forward.

"Alright, you know what?! That's it! I've tried being patient with you five, I've tried doing what my parents asked of me and show you that we're nothing like the hyenas or the jackals, but now I can see this was all just a colossal waste of time! Trying to change the minds of a bunch of close-minded bigots like you!"

To say that the Guard's expressions were shocked could not have been any more understated if you printed it on the bottom of Big Ravine. Ono ducked behind Beshte's head and covered his wings, while the hippo's jaw dropped down to the ground. Bunga stared dumbfounded at with while Fuli's face was contorted in confusion. Kion's stunned face lasted about five seconds before an enraged growl came up from his throat. He threw out his chest to appear intimidating and thrust his head closer eyes ablaze.

"What are you talking about?! We're the Lion Guard! We protect the Pridelands from those who would try and break the Circle of Life, not that you would know anything about it! And what do you mean by close-minded? We've always been there to defend the Pridelands from animals like the hyenas, and that's way more important than anything you do out here!"

Astonishingly, Saka didn't even flinch at Kion's attempt at intimidation

"So just because I'm the only thing that keeps what's left of my pack from starving to death out here, that makes me insignificant compared to what you five do?!" His tone became sarcastic as he added, "Because if that's the case, I'm sorry if what I do for my family doesn't seem as important as driving animals out of the Pridelands just because they didn't play by your rules!"

"What?" Kion asked, anger dropping out of his voice for a moment. "We only removed the hyenas, jackals, and Outsiders because they were going to put the Pridelands in serious danger! Everything we do for the Pridelands is to preserve peace between the animals living there!"

"Peace?! You think that what you're doing is upholding peace?! If anything, you're just showing everyone what happens if they don't abide by the stupid rules you set in place in the Pridelands, especially when it comes to hunting for food! How else did you think it was so easy for Scar to get the hyenas to help him take control over the Pridelands when he was still alive?!

The lion was speechless. He stared at Saka for a moment before bringing his head down to focus on his feet, mind racing for the answer. It took a few seconds before he could try to talk to him again.

"What's your deal with us, Saka? The Lion Guard exists to uphold the mantle of the Pridelands' safety upon the animals living there. We abide under the Circle of Life, keeping those safe from others who undermine it. Why do you hate us so much?"

Saka's glare lessened a bit, though it remained on his face as he answered, "You really want to know what my deal is with you? I'll tell you what my deal is with you!" He took a breath, and the Guard began to suspect that the wild dog was about to release something he had been holding back through the whole journey.

"My deal with you," Saka responded, "is the fact that ever since the five of you joined up to 'defend the Pridelands' and 'uphold the Circle of Life', you've been making life harder and harder for animals like me just as you make life easier and easier for animals like you!"

"What are you...?" Fuli began, only to be cut off by Saka.

"I know that animals like Janja, or Mzingo, or Reirei haven't been doing anyone any favors seeing as how they like make a habit of terrorizing your home, but did it ever occur to you that maybe, just maybe, they might've had a good reason for doing what they did?! I'm not saying that I approve of what they do, but if you think about it, it's kind of hard to blame them seeing as how you'd chase them out of the Pridelands in a heartbeat without even trying to negotiate something with them!"

"But those three are always up to something bad!" Ono protested. "They're each trying to take more than what they need and do so in ways that harm the Pridelands' inhabitants! They're not even supposed to be in the Pridelands anyway!"

"They're not supposed to be in the Pridelands anyway," Saka repeated venomously. "Just what is that supposed to mean? Do you have a problem with just them specifically being in the Pridelands, or are you just against the idea of any hyenas, vultures, or jackals being in the Pridelands even if they're not involved with the animals you chase out of your home on almost a daily basis?"

"What does it matter to you anyway? You said it yourself that you and your pack aren't involved with any of them, so why should you be concerned?"

"You really wanna know why it matters to me? I'll tell you why it matters to me!" Saka hissed before drawing a sharp breath. "It matters to me," he explained angrily, "because every time an animal or a group of animals comes into the Pridelands and somehow finds a way to break one of the countless rules you vow to uphold, you find it necessary to label the entire species they belong to a menace to your home!" Noticing that the Guard members, namely Bunga, were not seeing his point, he continued.

"Do you want to know why you've never seen any wild dogs like me until today?! It's because your idiotic tendency to label any species you have a bad first encounter with as enemies to the Pridelands has made us so scared of the possibility of you doing it to us just for trying to get a decent meal that we have to resort to living off bugs, mice and meerkats just to placate our hunger by the only smallest degree! Do you have any idea what that kind of diet does to a species of animals who are born to hunt larger prey?! Do you have any idea of how many relatives I've lost to starvation just because you're too paranoid about animals that live out here to even give us a chance to prove we can respect the Circle of Life too?!"

"Well it's not like you couldn't just ask permission to come into the Pridelands to hunt!" Fuli yelled back, the hairs on her back arching up as she hissed. As for the rest, they let Saka's words sink in.

"Wait," Beshte interjected, stepping closer. "You've... you've lost some of your family out here?"

The hippo watched as Saka's infuriated glare remained on his face, though judging by tiny bit of sorrow in his eyes, the wild dog was about to bring up a tender subject.

"I wouldn't say I lost some of my family members out here," Saka began to explain bitterly. "More like several of them. Maybe I didn't mention it before, but wild dogs like me are born for hunting larger animals. Whenever we're hungry and we see a herd of gazelle or wildebeest, we go after them, separate one of them from the rest of the herd, take it down, and dig in. But ever since you five came along and made us too scared to even think about setting foot in the Pridelands to hunt, we've had to resort to living off bugs, rats, and whatever vermin we can find just to live another day..."

Saka paused, and the Guard could see that their guide was trying as hard as he could to refrain from crying in front of them, though it seemed the wild dog was fighting a losing battle against his own emotions.

"I've seen friends, cousins, aunts, uncles, and siblings of mine die of starvation, all because you five are so insistent on vilifying anyone that breaks your rules that we have to abandon our nature as hunters to scavenge for what little there is to eat out here to last another day," Saka continued in a voice that was not only angry, but also broken, frustrated and sad. "Even when it could be so much easier for us to do what the hyenas or the jackals do to your home, we choose not to because unlike them, we actually care about what others think of us and we don't want everyone to think we're evil just for following our nature as hunters."

He then took a step forward, eyes narrowed and ears drawn back as if he was about to attack. "So let me ask you this," he concluded in a tone of firm finality. "If you think that the hyenas are a bunch of savage jerks for trying to take more than they need, and you think the jackals are bold-faced liars for trying to scam you, then what do you think of wild dogs like me?"

The Guard was left speechless as every member wore an expression of guilt. Everything Saka had said, all that he had accused them of, all the unintentional pain and suffering they had caused to those who did not deserve it brought back some very unpleasant memories to them. The mistaken identity of the aardwolves, the pre-assumption made of Jasiri and her family, and now the pack which had suffered and died for their actions hit each of them like a blow to the gut. But as harsh as it was, they realized that it was all true. Every accusation, every point made towards them, each transgression they had made for what they thought was for the best made them realize how poorly they had spoken to their guide.

And they felt like absolute fools for not realizing it sooner.

"... I-I... We didn't... We just thought..." Kion stammered in an attempt to form a response, yet went silent when Saka raised his paw.

"Save it. I know you never trusted me or my pack, even when we did nothing wrong to you. But if accusing me of being no better than the hyenas is what I get for trying to help you get home, then frankly, I'm done. Good luck trying to make it back home on your own."

Not saying a word, the Guard watched as Saka began to walk past them in the direction they had just came from, an expression of absolute bitterness donning his muzzle. Bunga tried to go after him, but Kion extended his foreleg and blocked him from following. Bunga swung his head in confusion between him and Saka's fleeing form.

"Kion, what are y-"

"Bunga... I think it's best we let him go and think on what has just happened. In fact," he paused, before adding sadly, "there's a lot we need to learn and reflect about."

For once the honey badger was as quiet and solemn as the rest of them. Slowly they began their trek towards the Pridelands, without a single word exchanged between them.

* * *

Saka didn't know how far he ran. All he knew was he finally stopped when he was out of breath and his legs threatened to give out from out under him. He gazed up through blurry, tired eyes up at the walls trying to discern where he was.

 _"Still a good distance from the pack, but far enough from... the Guard."_

His legs quivered and he leaned against the wall as they gave out before he dipped his muzzle between his forelegs and let the remaining emotion pour out. He was not usually one to cry, as years of survival in the harsh landscape had toughened him up, but there were times where he could not uphold his stoic facade any longer.

He was a fool. He had allowed his emotions and personal bias to cloud his judgment. He had single-handedly stood up against the Lion Guard, the protectors of the Pridelands and the keepers of peace within the Circle of Life.

Within his heart, Saka felt a mixture of grief, regret, and pride. He had stood firmly before them and spoken of the flaws within them, gave examples of the negatives in their work, and criticized their methods on how they accomplished things in the ways they considered right. He had given them a realization of their actions and how they affected the entirety of all living things.

But he hadn't offered any construction in his criticism. He didn't suggest ways of fixing the problem, only highlighted them. He insulted them. He called them accusers when he was no better himself. He had become ignorant to the good things they had done while calling them ignorant for their effort. He had allowed his anger, pride, and pain to overwhelm him as he verbally assaulted them for their duties.

It didn't matter to Saka now. He knew that given his recent actions, the Guard would surely consider him and the rest of his pack enemies to the Pridelands. The wild dog knew he was not prideful and stingy like the vultures, or deceitful and cunning like the jackals, or aggressive and vicious like the hyenas, but because he had failed to keep his bitterness and impatience in check, he had condemned himself, his family and his species in the eyes of the Pridelands' defenders.

In his mind, the thoughts of a different reaction, one where he was more open to hearing, constructive, and helpful during his rant made him wonder if he could've parted from the Guard on better terms. It quickly became quenched by the flood of sadness that swept over him.

Disrespecting the Lion Guard. Verbal insults instead of constructive criticism. Biased prejudices instead of open-mindedness. An angry rant instead of a helpful discussion.

He buried his paws deeper and wept tears of regret onto the dry ground of the Outlands.

* * *

"Ugh! Man, you'd think we'd have an advantage fighting on our own turf!" Chungu complained as he limped with pain. From beside him, Cheezi agreed.

"Yeah, we at least should've had an upper paw in the fight. But no! We totally have our spots handed to us within the first few minutes. Geez!"

"Enough talking! Let's just get back home," Janja barked from the front of the pack. The rest of his pack was either groaning or griping about the sore spots they had received in their failed ambush. He was utterly appalled, seeing the perfect opportunity to attack the guard was in his grasp... and he had lost it. The Guard had swiftly and efficiently stopped them, along with their new 'friend' helping them out. In other words, he was not in a pleasant mood right now.

He stopped for a moment as he took in the new sight before him. A few hyenas walked into him by mistake and he growled at them to get back in line. He and his pack were standing on the flat tops of the canyon, looking down into the ravine where a huge flood of water had gathered behind a jumble of logs. The dam of unorganized timber was creaking and groaning with all the pressure building behind it.

Looking out onto the other side of the gorge he could see the graying, cloudy sky with the active volcano in the distance. Home was just across the unsteady, ready-to-burst log jam.

"Wow, must've been some rainstorm," Cheezi commented.

"Yeah," Chungu added. "Well Janja, lead the way."

Janja's eyes widened at the statement as he peered over his shoulder to look at them. The whole pack was watching, ready to follow after he had taken the first step. Not wanting to lose his authority over a cowardly act of suggesting a safer route, he took a quick breath and leapt down a few feet onto the logs. He lost his footing as the wood cracked under his sudden weight, but he recovered and hurriedly yet cautiously crossed over the disarranged trunks and branches before jumping up and pulling himself to safety on the other side. Taking a few tired breaths, he looked over at the other side and glared.

"Hey! Get over here! What are you waiting for an invitation or something?!" he barked out. The rest of his pack looked unsure and nervous at each other, before they jumped down like he had and quickly made their way across. Once everyone had safely made it to the other side, he resumed the head of the pack again.

"Alright, let's move. The sooner we get back the better." The groaning and griping resumed as they painfully walked on sore and tired limbs. Only Cheezi and Chungu seemed to be up for conversation.

"Man oh man. For a second there, I thought the dam was going to burst beneath me," Chungu said.

"I know. Can you imagine what would've happened if it did? Probably would've washed you away through the entire canyon!" Janja's ears began to prick up at this.

"Yeah. Washed away through the entire canyon."

"Hold on," Janja said, stopping abruptly again. He grunted as his pack mates walked into him again and fell down disorganized. Janja scoffed at them before heading back towards the edge of the ravine. He carefully looked over the dam and a maniacal grin stretched across his face. He then turned back to his hyenas, an evil chuckle escaping his throat.

"You know, that's not such a bad idea," he declared. Cheezi and Chungu lifted their heads, still dazed from the tumble.

"Huh?" both asked. They shrank away a bit as their leader jumped before them and scowled.

"The dam, dummies. If we can break it, the flood will go throughout all the canyon, washing away every little thing in its path," he explained. The two began to nod, but stopped and just stared confusedly at each other. They fell back as Janja gave a growl and pinned them down.

"Don't you see it, idiots? The Lion Guard is down at the bottom of the ravine. If the flood comes, then they can't push it back or outrun it. Meaning they'll be swept away or drowned and the Pridelands will be without it protectors. And we'll be able to come in and hunt as much as we want, when we want." He grinned again as the looks of understanding came over their faces.

"Great idea Janja," Chungu commented. Cheezi rapidly nodded his head in agreement.

Janja's mouth broke out into a grin and his head looked over his shoulder towards the massive wall of logs. It would take quite a bit of force to knock it down, much less do so without washing themselves away with it. He quickly got off the two, leapt towards the edge, and stood proudly before his pack.

"We're going to break down this dam and wash that pathetic Lion Guard away for good! Once they're gone, we hyenas will roam free in the Pridelands and take down every single herd animal we can find! Today the Pridelands will finally be ours to take over! Now are you boys with me or not!?"

His fellow hyenas chuckled in agreement and gathered around them as he began to explain the plan to them.

Unbeknownst to any of them, a few feet below them on a ledge in the wall, a lone hyena stood and tilted her ears up to the pack above explaining their plan. Her eyes widened in realization at the endangerment of the Pridelands' protectors and reign of hostility approaching.

As quietly as possible, she leapt down from her ledge and made her way down to the bottom of the ravine. Her stride then turned into a run as she sped down the canyon, hoping to find the Guard and warn them of their upcoming peril.

* * *

 **Three guesses to who the lone hyena at the end is. So quite a drama-packed chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it. Please leave a review and me and slydog148 will see you for the next chapter. Sincerely, v.t.7 and slydog148**


	4. Rescues and Reconciliation

**Chapter 4: Rescues and Reconciliation**

 **Hey guys, sorry for being away so long. Hope this chapter makes it up.**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

She wasn't sure how far she had gone or where she was going, although she had been running straight through the Outlands nonstop. She constantly sniffed the air, hoping to detect even just the slightest scent, of even one of the Guard members. However, the recent rainstorm had made that a difficult task for her since it not only dampened the landscape, but also washed away the scent of any creature who might have been in the area, as all she could pick up was the smell of wet stone and dust around her.

But even with her confused, blind sense of direction, Jasiri was determined and willing to search the entire expanse of the Outlands and warn the Guard of the upcoming danger. Perhaps it was just her morality and urge to do what was right that was motivating on her to do this, but she knew that she would be at least giving some part of the Outlands a good name by going through with it.

As she closed her eyes to sniff the air once more, Jasiri suddenly felt the ground beneath her vanish, and when she opened her eyes to see what was happening, she realized with horror that she had accidentally ran off a ledge and was plummeting towards the ground below her. Wincing in pain as she connected with hard ground, she tumbled until she collided with an unknown object, letting out a surprised yelp as another equally startled yelp came to her ears.

When enough of the dizziness had cleared from her head, she stood up, shook to get the excess dust off and turned around to face whoever she had collided with. Sure enough, the figure who had also yelped was trying to get his bearings as he got to his feet, groaning in pain from the unforeseen collision. Standing up swiftly, she stormed over to him and growled to get his attention.

"Hey! Why don't you watch where you're going?!"

To her mild surprise, the figure gave an annoyed grunt before his head rotated to meet hers. Familiar gold eyes met her violet ones.

"Actually, seeing as how you tripped over me, maybe you might want to watch where you're going." She shook her head to get rid of the dust clinging to her eyelashes before taking a good look at him. Black, white, and tan patches of fur on a jackal-like body with a sarcastic tone of voice.

"Saka?" He nodded and stood up to eye level with her.

"Hey Jasiri," he replied, keeping a composed tone of voice. "I didn't think I'd find you this far from your territory." She scoffed and gave him a smirk.

"Oh yeah, and I wouldn't believe I would find you so far from yours if I hadn't fallen on you." He simply rolled his eyes before he laid back down and turned away in disinterest.

"Whatever."

Jasiri only stared in confusion at his halfhearted response. From her rare encounters with Saka in the past, she had come to learn that he was rather irritable in demeanor, yet still meant well and was as loyal to his pack as she was to hers. As she walked closer and back into his line of sight, she could see him repress an irritated sigh.

"So what are you doing this far away from home?"

"None of your business," he replied. It came out swift with anxiousness to get away from this conversation. His head lifted off his paws and swung up to her face. "Now, at the risk of being rude, would you please just leave me alone?"

"Fine," she replied, losing interest in the conversation as well. "I need to go off and find the Lion Guard anyways." She began to head off again, but then a thought crossed her mind as she stopped to look back at him. "By the way, you might want to get onto higher ground. There's going to be quite the flood coming in a few minutes and I wouldn't recommend sticking around for it." His ear didn't even flinch in response to the young hyena's warning. Remembering that the Guard was more important now than making sure he had been paying attention, she resumed her path.

"They're heading towards the Pridelands, so you might want to head down a different route."

Jasiri halted once more, just as she was about to head out into another direction of the canyon. Letting out an annoyed sigh, she turned around and headed back towards him. He watched as she came over and stopped a couple of feet in front of him.

"I'm sorry, but would you mind repeating that?"

He sighed and stood up to her level. "The Lion Guard. They're headed towards the Pridelands, so you might want to head down the path leading to the exit." Her head cocked to the side as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and suspicion.

"And you know this how?" Saka let out another sigh and looked away from her.

"Because I was just with them, leading them back towards the Pridelands." Though confused as to why he sounded so bitter at the mention of the Pridelands' defenders, Jasiri was pleased with this new information as a smile came to her muzzle.

"Great, then you can help me find where they are out here."

Turning his head back to face the hyena, Saka looked as though Jasiri had just asked him what the sun was.

"…What?"

"You can guide me to where they are so I can warn them about the flood."

"Sorry, but that's not going to happen. I've already spent enough time with them to last a lifetime, and there's no way I'm going stick my neck out for them again, especially after what they accused me of earlier." He turned around to leave, only to find the female hyena blocking his path. He stopped and glared at her sternly. "Get out of my way Jasiri." She simply gave a small chuckle and shook her head.

"Not until you tell me what happened with you and the Guard."

"Not gonna happen. Now move!"

Jasiri only smirked and began blocking his path for every attempt to move past her. No matter how many times he tried to flee, she always ended up in front of him. Finally, he glared at her and sighed frustratedly.

"You're not going to leave unless I help you out, aren't you?"

"That's the idea." He grimaced at her triumphant grin and gave a groan of defeat.

"Fine, you twisted my paw." His eyes shut and he tipped his muzzle up into the incoming breeze before inhaling deeply. She watched in anticipation as he contemplated the scent's origins. "They've already past where the battle took place and now have entered the narrower parts of the canyon, judging by their scents and of wet shale from that part's walls. They've gone off track from the path and towards the more treacherous parts."

"Well then we'd better get there quickly. Lead the way, tracker." He rolled his eyes but obediently started heading down the path with Jasiri closely beside him.

The rocks had already begun to turn from tan to grey as they entered a different part of the region. Deep grooves marred the walls and ground, indicating the erosion from previous floods that had come through there. A thin trickle of water cut through the floor, and both canines knew it would only increase once the floodwaters raged through. It overall looked gloomy to the hyena and wild dog. Saka tried to keep himself from being distracted by the landscape and instead focused on the Guard's scent past all the wet dirt and rock.

"So... you haven't told me yet what happened between you and the Guard." His ears pressed against his head as he bit back a snarky remark. It only became harder when she drew closer and into his line of sight. "C'mon, tell me what happened."

"How about I don't?" he asked, moving faster to get away. "Can we just focus on the matter at hand?"

"Well maybe I could if I knew what happened between you and them, then I'd pay more attention to the mission." His pace increased, almost moving to a run.

"I really don't want to talk about it." The scents were becoming more and more jumbled with the increasing distractions and he was having trouble distinguishing where they were. He caught on again for a brief second only to lose it when his fur pricked up to the sudden warm breath blown onto him.

"Why do you smell like Janja and his-"

She came to an abrupt halt when he suddenly stopped and turned around to face her, irritation ridden across his face.

"Look, I'm really not in the mood to talk now, okay? So far today I've been chased out of my own den into a rainstorm, was guilt-tripped by my parents into leading the Guard back home, got attacked by Janja and his clan before being accused of working with them by those ungrateful, bigoted so-called "defenders of the Pridelands", and now I'm being forced to go find them again! So if we could just be quiet for the rest of the way, then that would be just fine."

Jasiri paused as she watched Saka storm off, back arched and stomping his paws into the ground. After a few seconds she jogged after the wild dog and resumed her place walking beside him. She watched as his tense form did not waver even as the seconds ticked on. Deciding to take a risk, as well as lighten the mood between them, she spoke.

"I didn't think Janja and his clan would be that stupid to attack the Guard on their own territory. At least my pack knows when to fight and when to back away from one."

"Guess the stupidity isn't limited to his pack alone." She frowned and tried to protest, only for Saka to cut her off. "And I'm not talking about your family."

"I get that. It's just... why are you so angry with the Guard? What did they ever do to you?" She immediately regretted her decision when Saka stopped once more and barely restrained himself from growling in frustration at her.

"Up until now, I honestly thought that at least you would be able to figure out why I can't stand-"

His eyes widened as she thrust her paw onto his lips, preventing him from ranting any further. To his further shock, Jasiri knocked him off his feet and planted her forelegs squarely on his chest, pinning him to the ground and making him wince with sudden discomfort.

"Alright, stop. Just stop Saka. I know that the Guard isn't perfect, I know about the living conditions they've unwittingly forced us and our families to live in, and I know that you and I aren't the only ones who've suffered from it. But now, let's just stop and look at the Guard from your perspective. Tell me, barring all the prejudices they put against us predators, what else do you have against them? Just pretend that all that they've caused us never occurred and tell me what your deal is with them. Better yet, tell me what they've done to offend you personally."

She regarded his expression, noting how confused it was without his accusations to support him. His eyes shifted downward as he gave out a long exhale while bowing his head.

"I guess if there was anything else, it would be their lack of communication with the animals they face. Predators aside, they have a habit of approaching a problem with the intention of fighting first instead of looking for the civil, sensible solution like negotiating. And…" he paused to take a breath, "I suppose in hindsight, when they accused me of working with the hyenas when I was clearly fighting against them… I honestly think I didn't need to overreact at their accusations."

She stared at him for a moment before letting out a weak laugh. "Yeah, they do tend to act immaturely in a lot of situations." Her eyes the met his and she stood firmly before him. "But let's not forget the fact that most of them are tweens, not adults. They're young, like us, and they need time to mature and grow with experiences." She paused and shot him a small smile. "Like us."

His head was bowed low, but his ears were perked and twitching, letting her know that he had been listening.

"…Well when you put it that way, you do have a point. And they are just trying to defend their homeland," his head rose to meet hers, "even if they don't always handle the situation properly."

"Like treating you with suspicion when they first meet you?" He stared at her with widened eyes and she gave him a knowing smile. Then, even though it was extremely faint, the shadow of smirk formed on his face as well.

"…and only begin to treat you better when you started helping them out?" She nodded and let out a full-hearted laugh

"Yeah, they really can act rudely to newcomers." He responded.

"Well, what'd you expect? They're still young and need time to mature and grow with experience."

Finally coming to a realization that Jasiri was right, Saka nodded in agreement, and for a brief moment the grey walls of the ravine didn't seem as dreary as they were before.

Their hopeful moment was cut short when a crack echoed across the canyon. It wasn't the loudest crack and rumbling didn't follow, indicating the dam hadn't burst yet, but there was still a short amount of time before it would.

"We need to get going," he declared with a resolute frown.

"You think?"

They soon resumed their mission to locate the guard, only this time at a much faster pace as they sprinted through the canyon.

"You know, you can always give your opinion on what the Guard should improve on," she panted out as they ran, "when it comes to approaching problems involving predators."

"I suppose you're right. I'll try to do that instead of just yelling about all their problems right to their faces." He wouldn't admit it, but he honestly enjoyed the look of shock on her face.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! You yelled at the Guard? As in right at their faces?!" When he nodded she grinned. "Whoa, even Janja never did that. Maybe they should make you the bravest on the Guard." He rolled his eyes, but a kept a fond tone in his voice.

"Bravest? I'm pretty certain that position's already filled, Jasiri. Personally I think I'd be better off as the keenest of smell; protecting the Pridelands by sniffing out danger one animal at a time."

"Ha! No argument here! And I would be the Guard's coolest member; Defending the Pridelands by just being more awesome then everyone else." Saka actually shared a laugh with Jasiri as they raced down the ravine.

* * *

The Guard was silent as they walked through the gorge, the only sounds coming from them being their footsteps and the rock Bunga was kicking across the ground. Each of them wore a solemn expression as their eyes remained planted at the ground, not bothering to even look where they were heading.

They perked up and some of them flinched when they were a crack split the air. A few small pebbles fell down the walls and clattered on the ground. They all froze, waiting in anticipation or what would happen next. The sound echoed into the canyon and disappeared into silence.

"Whoa! What was that?" Bunga asked.

"I'm not sure," Beshte stated. "Maybe it's just a rock that fell and broke."

"Doesn't seem like a rock could be that loud," Fuli commented.

"Hey Ono, you think you could fly up and see what happened?" Bunga asked. The egret only shook his head and lifted up his wing.

"Still sprained, remember?" He then looked at Kion, who was standing still and looking out into the distance. "Kion?"

"Shh. can you hear that?"

"Hear what," Fuli asked, perking up her ears to listen.

"That sound. Almost like..."

"Kion."

"Wait, who's calling you?" Bunga asked.

"Lion Guard!"

"More importantly, who's calling us?" Beshte added.

"Lion Guard!"

"Jasiri?" Kion asked. His and the others' heads swiveled towards an opening in the walls and two figures came into view. Sure enough, said hyena and, to their amazement, Saka, were both charging towards them.

"Kion!" Saka called out, skidding to a halt before him and panting heavily. "L-listen to me. There's-"

"Wait! You don't have to say anything. Saka, we've been really thinking about what you've said and we've realized all of it is true."

"Huh? Oh, well, good then, but listen, now we-"

"And we've realized how badly we've been behaving as the Pridelands' defenders, and so-"

"Kion you've got to listen to me! Right now there's-"

"Saka please. We're trying to say-"

"There's a flood!"

Before the others could react, Jasiri stepped up. "Janja and his clan were seen by a log dam, trying to break it apart to flood the canyon. You've got to get out of here before-"

Another crack echoed through the canyon, this time much louder and followed by the sound of rumbling water. All of them were immediately on edge, searching towards the source of the break. Kion then became aware of the clicking sound beneath him and looked down where several pebbles clattered. His sensitive paw pads felt the vibrations of an upcoming force raging through the Outlands.

His head lifted up towards the end of the ravine. To his horror, far in the distance, he saw a surging white and muddy torrent was charging down like a wildebeest stampede, rounding the bend and setting its path down the gorge, right towards the stunned Guard and their allies. Rocks began to collapse from the walls and join in the rush.

"Run!"

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I kept thinking back to the stampede of the original film when writing the end, what with the cub looking at the pebbles clattering on the ground and sensing the vibrations before looking up and seeing the danger heading right towards him. Please leave a review and stay tuned for the next chapter. We'll see you next time. Sincerely, v.t.7 and slydog148**


	5. Flood Run

**Chapter 5: Flood Run**

 **Hey guys, sorry for being away for so long. There were a lot of factors preventing this chapter from coming out sooner, but I now think we can finally get the rest of the story out faster. Hope you got a kick out of the cliffhanger in the last chapter. The start of this one is in Kion's PoV.**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

When Kion was younger, his father would tell him stories of the stampede that killed his grandfather. He would often try to imagine the wildebeest thundering through the canyon while his grandfather and father tried to get to safety, only for the treachery of his great-uncle to interfere and the cause the respective death and self-exile of his relatives. Now, as the flood charged down the canyon, he could not help thinking how similar this was to his visualizations of the fateful wildebeest stampede. There he was, running for his life with certain doom right at his heels, just like his father as a cub.

Jasiri quickly assumed position by the front and turned her head back to them. "Quick, follow me!" she called out.

The Guard soon assumed a pack formation with Jasiri and Saka at the head, Fuli and Bunga taking up the middle sides with Beshte in the center, and Kion at the rear, taking it upon himself to make sure everyone got out safely before him.

The newly-formed group raced down the canyon, narrowly dodging the falling rocks and debris coming loose from the walls. The size of the boulders became larger and larger as the flood grew nearer and the vibrations grew stronger. After a close miss with a particularly bulky rock, Kion decided to take action.

"Guys, I'm going to see if I can use my roar to blast the floodwaters back!" He began to slow down, making the distance between himself and the rest of the group grow further and further.

A blur of grey and black-spots leapt onto the firm canyon wall and launched off of it. Jasiri soared through the air, somersaulting and twisting until she landed beside Kion. He let out a startled yelp when she kicked him in the side and motioned him to keep up with the rest.

"Jasiri, what-"

"I really wouldn't advise roaring in this part of the canyon, Kion!"

"But why? I've roared back floodwaters before during the rainy season. This can't be all that-"

"It's different when it rains here, okay? When it rains in the Pridelands, most of it gets absorbed by the soil, but when it rains in the Outlands, it doesn't sink in as well. It just gathers together, growing bigger and bigger until-"

"Until it creates a flash flood!" Finished Saka. "An unstoppable flash flood that won't stop until it either hits a dead end or converges into the nearby river."

"But Kion's stopped the flood from reaching us before!" Beshte protested. "So why can't he-"

"Look out!"

In a split second, Saka leapt towards the hippo's side and rammed him headfirst away from the canyon wall. A second later, a massive boulder landed where Beshte stood, spreading cracks across the ground from the impact.

"Zuka Zama that was close! You okay, big B?" Bunga asked. The hippo nodded, though his eyes were wide from shock that he could've been crushed to death, along with Ono who was still on his back.

"Y-yeah, little B. I just...," his head turned up, following up the crumbling canyon walls. "I didn't even see that coming."

"Well you can thank me once we're out of this mess," commented Saka with a frown.

"We call this part of the Outlands Rockslide Ravine. The walls here are made of a type of rock that's really fragile and breaks easily, especially in times like this," Jasiri explained before turning towards Kion. "If you roar in this part of the Outlands, you might stop the flood, but you could also cause a avalanche right on top of us."

"But couldn't Kion just roar the rocks away too? By roaring everywhere at once?" Bunga suggested.

"I'm not gonna risk it, Bunga. It's too dangerous," Kion replied. Saka panted and kept in stride beside him.

"Either way, just keep running! I can see a path that leads to higher ground just up ahead!"

Sure enough, a rockslide that had previously occurred created a rocky pathway up to the smooth clifftops. Ono stood up from where he was perched and squinted to see it.

"It looks pretty unstable. We could easily lose our balance and fall off it. Besides, it's too far, we'll never make it!"

"It's either that or drowning! Take your pick!" Fuli retorted.

The floodwaters were nearly upon them. Some of them flinched as they felt cold drops of water hit their bodies, yet they never looked back or stopped. Only Ono was brave enough to look back from his spot, only to quickly look forward again when he saw several boulders being dragged along with the logs in the torrent.

"Hapana!" he yelled out frantically. "It's gaining on us! Move faster!"

"We're... moving as fast... as we can," Kion panted out. He was already beginning to grow tired, though he never even thought about slowing down.

The dread of the moment began to sink in for the group. With the possibility of being either drowned or washed away by the oncoming torrent growing stronger by the second and the safe point still too far out of reach, each of them began contemplating their final thoughts. All except for the hyena and painted wolf, for in their case occurrences like this were dealt with regularly and they had learned to survive through them, and they weren't about to admit defeat now.

Their eyes scanned the canyon, searching for anything close that would help them escape faster as the ravine began to grow thinner as they headed towards the end. The only ways they could escape was by either scaling the rockslide or by trying to squeeze in through the holes in the canyon walls that led into different parts of the Outlands. The only problems that came from taking those routes were that climbing up the rocks was both treacherous and time-consuming and going through the holes was difficult to figure out which one would lead the way out or lead to a rock wall that soon would become waterlogged.

As they kept searching, another chunk of rock broke off from the walls and plummeted down to the ground close by. Luckily, the group was nowhere near it when it fell, but it didn't mean that Jasiri and Saka did not notice it. As she looked at it carefully, her eyes suddenly sparkled as an idea came to her mind.

She began slowing down, letting the rest of the group pass her until she was at the back with Saka and Kion. She nudged Saka away from him as they let the Lion Guard get ahead of them.

"What is it Jasiri? I don't know about you, but I really don't want to be drowned!" he snapped heatedly. She did a quick growl to silence him before leaning close to his ear and began whispering her idea to him. His eyes widened with surprise and he stared at her.

"Could that really work?" he asked.

"Well what other choice is there?" she countered. Her face grew determined and his face donned the same expression.

Using the remaining boost of speed they had within them, they sprinted forward, heading past and away from the group and over towards the canyon walls. The others took notice of their strange behavior before Kion called out to them.

"Guys! What are you-"

"Just keep running! We've got an idea that might just work!" Saka yelled back.

"It had better!" Fuli shouted. "Otherwise we're going to get washed away!"

Ignoring that last despairing thought, the two ran towards the area where the unstable walls were at their most fragile state. Using the power from their charging forms, they leapt at the wall, paws outstretched to hit it. Their legs wobbled a bit when they bounced off the wall. They began to repeatedly pound the wall, viciously hitting it as if they were defending themselves from an enemy.

"What are you guys doing?!" Kion shouted out to them as they began to pass the two carnivores.

"Collapsing the wall to stop the flood long enough so you can escape! Now get out of here!" Jasiri screamed back, using her frantic state to thrust harder onto the rock. More cracks had appeared and spread out further, but only small bits of rock and dust were coming down from the wall. A small crumble came from the cliff as its lower half started to break down, but there wasn't enough time or power available to the two carnivores to knock it down.

Like they hoped the cliff would do, their plan of trying to buy the Guard a few more seconds to escape began to crumble apart, and as they heard the sound of the churning rapids grow closer, they began to feel the likelihood of them being either drowned and washed away or crushed to death by the flowing debris growing stronger by the moment.

As their impending doom drew closer, Saka began to contemplate what would happen to himself and his companions once the flood caught up to them. While the thought of dying made his stomach churn in terror, what made him feel worse was the thought of what would happen after he and his comrades perished. His family would undoubtedly be worried sick by him not returning home and they would undoubtedly be devastated when, or worse yet if, they learned of his demise. To make matters worse, there was a high chance that without him, the pack's already slim hopes of survival in the outlands would grow even slimmer without his hunting skills to help scavenge for what little food there was in the Outlands. But worst of all, Saka knew that once the Lion Guard themselves were dead, the Pridelands would be without any means of protection from the likes of Janja and his clan, and the circle of life would inevitably be thrown out of balance without the Guard's influence, all because he chose to let his anger and resentment towards the Guard get the best of him.

Still, both he and Jasiri continued to fling their movements at the cliff with claw scratches, stone biting, ramming their paws, headbutts, hind leg kicks, and even bodies slams. Deep down, they were beginning to accept defeat, but they decided that if they were going to die, it would be while fighting for a cause they believed in until the end, even if it seemed like it would end in failure.

Suddenly, a new impact came to the wall, this one sending the main crack surging up the cliffside. Another force impacted the wall, furthering the accent. While they both grinned through dusty tears, they almost immediately came into the realization that neither of them had caused it. Their eyes fell to the side, both their jaws dropping open.

"Beshte!?"

The hippo backed up again and ran full force into the rock. Soon enough, a lion, cheetah, honey badger, and even an egret with his pecking power, each joined in the mauling of the wall.

The flood was almost upon them. Instead of yelling at them to run, which would've been useless at this point, the seven of them went at the wall with all power in their bodies. Rocks began to fall down more rapidly and in bigger portions. Stone splintered and mica chips broke off the wall like bark on a trunk. They kept breaking it, never considering to admit defeat and quit.

The leader of the Lion Guard charged back, standing straight and firm as he stared resolutely the wall. Another rumbling entered the Outlands, this time coming from both the sky and land. The others realized what he was doing and braced themselves against the wall and each other.

A mighty roar filled the air, shattering the sky and overpowering the rumbling of the flood. Tremendous winds at gale-strength were directed right at the wall. The others squinted their eyes shut and pressed as tightly as they could against the searing power of the roar.

Kion closed his mouth, ending the roar. The rest of the Guard and pack peeled themselves off the wall and ran, not bothering to look behind at their work or the flood. Assuming pack formation again, they sped down the ravine, making a beeline towards the exit.

The rock shattered. Like twig snapping or pool of water rippling, the stone completely broke apart. A huge crack and rumble erupted behind them as the cracks finally severed the cliff from rest of the canyon's wall. The biggest rockslide to ever occur in the Outlands crumbled down upon flood's pathway, a huge combination of flying boulders and splashing water flying up as the avalanche met the torrent.

The resulting shockwave from the two forces colliding surged throughout the land, even reaching the neighboring Pridelands where the inhabitants thought an earthquake was occurring. The vibrations were so powerful that the previous rockslide began to collapse even further, breaking apart the path towards the top of the canyon.

With the other things that had happened that day, there was no hesitation on climbing up the treacherous falling exit way. For some like Fuli and Bunga, their lean and lithe bodies made dodging the falling stones and jumping over breaking areas easier, but made getting hit by the bigger ones more impactful to their direction and bodies. The others had the opposite problem, where incoming debris heading at them didn't do too much to swerve them off their course, rather the trembling and shifting ground below their feet.

Kion was the first to get out onto solid ground with Jasiri and Bunga in tow. Fuli made a leap and clawed up the exposed wall the rest of the way. Beshte, Ono, and Saka were last because of the lack of stable ground and it was too high for Beshte to jump up to.

The strongest of the Pridelands suddenly gasped as he felt something press against his hindquarters and push him forward. Realizing that Saka was attempting to boost him up, he wasted no time trying to get up. His hooves scrapped up against the niches, trying to get a good hold on them. Back legs kicked against the rock to search for a good foothold. His friends reached out towards him to help him up when he could reach them. Finally finding a good foothold, he hopped up. Combined with Saka's weight-lifting, his front hooves made contact with the upper surfaces. Ono hopped off his head and onto the ground to lessen the chances of him falling off and encourage Beshte the rest of the way up.

The hippo huffed and panted as he forced his legs to hold up the weight of his body. Finally with a mighty "Twendi Kiboko," he rose up. His back legs made contact with the top and he pulled the rest of his body up.

"Way to go big B!" Bunga cheered.

"Thanks little B! Now everyone's here except-"

His words were cut off just as the earth trembled one last time and a shared realization ran through all of them.

"Saka!"

The most able to help him up came by the edge and looked downwards. The rest of the boulders had finally come down, leaving the painted wolf dangling for his life over a long drop down. His claws dug deep into the small protruding rock and his back legs scraped against the wall, desperately trying to get a hold. His head turned up to their and they saw the desperation and fear in his expression.

"Please! Help me!"

Had anyone been watching from a nearby area at the scene unfolding, they would have seen the similarities. The desperate, afraid creature holding on for life and begging for the possible savior, a lion, who was just above him and within arm's reach, to pull him out from his doom. What mattered then was the decision from the lion, to help or to deny helping the outlander; to either follow the status quo and refuse to save his natural enemy's life, or show compassion and spare having blood on his paws.

Saka's grasp on the rock was slipping and each second he didn't act upon decreased his chance of survival. As he felt his claws give away to his weight, he made his decision. Using the remainder of the strength he had in his limbs, he launched himself up as far as he could.

Nothing but air was beneath him now and his front legs stretched out in their futile attempt at catching the unreachable ledge. His eyes began to close, as the seconds passed by, and he waited for gravity to take hold once more.

His pupils thinned out and eyelids widened as a sudden pressure came hard upon his paw and smacked it into the wall.

"Hold on, Saka!"

His back paws caught onto the previous hold he dangled from. Jasiri joined by Kion's side and offered out her paw toward him. After waving his paw towards her, they touched and grasped.

His back legs heaved himself up again, this time letting his paw catch onto the edge above him. The two then reached down further and came under his elbows, hooking under them, and began hoisting him up.

A breath of relief swept throughout the group as Saka came up and collapsed exhaustedly on the firm, solid ground. The adrenaline that was pumping through his veins a short time ago had vanished, now replaced with fatigued relief that left him lying limply on the dusty ground, tongue sticking out of his muzzle as he panted for breath

Below them, in the ravine, the flood started to climb over and move past the barricade, but only to meet a dead end with no victims to claim. It smashed into the wall, splashes and drops of water coming up as if vainly trying to reach them, but it no longer could. The rest of it started filling into the empty holes and cracks in the cave, surging through into another part of the canyon.

As the Guard got their bearings, Bunga looked around to see where they were, and a joyful grin came to his face as a sense of familiarity came over him

"Hey look! We're out of the Outlands," he pointed out. Sure enough, when the others turned, they saw the rocky ground was breaking into the grasslands. In the distance, they could see herds grazing, trees growing, and far away, Pride Rock stood all above it.

"Wow. We made it after all," Fuli remarked as she made her way into the grass and flopped down onto it. "Ahh, it feels so good to be home."

"You said it," Beshte agreed, relishing the feeling of warm grass and soft dirt under his hooves after being on hard and cold stone floors for most of the afternoon.

Kion looked over to his team, then over to Saka with a grateful smile. "Guess your tracking skills really did help us out," the lion remarked.

Still sprawled out on the ground, Saka glanced up to the Guard's leader and replied between wheezes, "Well… hopefully… that's the last time… my skills will get us… into a situation like that again."

Amused by this response, Kion sniggered, only for his smile to wilt as a certain argument between him and his escort that had occurred earlier that day came to mind. As Saka got to his paws, Kion began, "Look, Saka. About what happened earlier, after Janja and his clan ambushed us-"

He paused as Saka held up a paw to silence him, a forlorn expression donning his muzzle. "I'm not going to hold that against you, Kion," he began somberly. "Given how intolerable I was towards you guys up until the ambush, I don't blame you for suspecting I was working with Janja. If anybody messed up back there, it was me for deserting you and my duty to escort you home, and for that, I'm sorry."

Momentarily rendered speechless, Kion managed to find his voice and replied, "Well still, it never would've happened if we hadn't accused you of working with Janja in the first place, especially after you were trying to help us fight them off."

With a sniff, Saka responded, "Well then I guess we're both at fault for me leaving you five alone in the Outlands."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

A brief pause then followed, both the lion and the hunting dog uncertain of what to do next.

"So what now?" Kion asked

"Well," Saka began. "Seeing as I've completed my job in getting you guys home, I guess I should be heading-"

"Not so fast!"

The two young mammals immediately turned their attention to a briskly-approaching Jasari, who stopped and stated, "As I remember correctly, you said your job was to get the guard home, right Saka?"

"Um…yes?" Saka answered, not quite sure where the hyena was going.

"Then if that's the case, I'd say your job isn't complete until we've made it back to Pride Rock," she concluded.

"Pride Rock?"

"You know what? I think she's right!" Added Bunga as he walked over to join the conversation. "Pride Rock is where we hang out when there's no trouble in the Pridelands, and I think it'd be great for you to meet King Simba, Saka!"

At the mention of the Pridelands' ruler, Saka immediately felt awash with anxiety as he stammered, "Th-the king? Why would he-"

"Saka."

Saka turned his attention to Kion, who had rested his paw on the former's shoulder and had donned an encouraging smile across his muzzle.

"You helped us in a time need. Now it's time for us to return the favor."

And with the mutual looks of encouragement and gratitude on the faces of the other guard members, Saka felt his fear leave his body like a passing breeze.

Meanwhile, in another part of the Outlands, the hyena pack waited in anticipation. The broken dam lay scattered all across the wet ground, logs and debris spread out everywhere, as far as they eye could see. The pack slowly and cautiously made their way down into the ravine, looking to see what had resulted from their brilliant plan.

"Do you think it worked?" Cheezi asked.

"Um, well, we bought the dam down and the flood came out. Do you think we got the Lion Guard," Chungu responded. Janja turned around and growled at the two.

"Of course we got them, idiots! Not even that cheetah could outrun the flood," he retorted.

"But- but about that earthquake we felt earlier?" Cheezi asked. "It sounded like a rockslide."

"It sounded like my stomach," Chungu commented, causing laughter from the rest of the pack. Janja slammed his feet down to get their attention and snarled.

"We got the Lion Guard, okay? There's no way they could have survived that thing. I say we just stroll into the unprotected Pridelands now, and-"

His words were cut off by the ground rumbling beneath them again. They fearfully searched around them, only to discover, much to their horror, the remainder of the flood heading back and right towards them.

"Run you idiots, run!" Janja yelled, and together they began screaming and charging down the canyon from the much smaller flood.

* * *

 **I hoped you enjoyed the karma for the villains. I like this method of ending a chapter; a climax, conflict resolution, and the resolution to the earlier conflict.** **Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter. We're nearing the ends of this story, so maybe the next chapter will be the epilogue. Please leave a review and we'll see you next time. Sincerely, v.t.7 and slydog148**


	6. Newfound Clarity

**Chapter 6: Newfound Clarity**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

After spending so much of their time within the stone maze of the Outlands, being able to walk on soft earth and lush grass again felt like gift for the band of young animals. Each member of the group took the time to absorb the beautiful sight of green landscape and sweet smell of grassland soil, clearing their sinuses of the mineral-infused and slightly damp scent of rock.

For Jasiri and Saka, who had lived most of their lives in the rocky canyons of the Outlands, walking among such vivid life, color, and tender landscape appeared almost unreal to them. Both walked about in almost a daze as they took everything in, Only to regain their composure upon hearing the sound of a light snigger.

"Enjoying the scenery, you two?" Both nodded at the observant egret.

"Yeah well, when you live surrounded by boulders and rock walls and rarely see anything green, you really come to enjoy the times when you can see such sights," Jasiri explained. Saka nodded silently before becoming focused on the richly colored wings of a butterfly fluttering above him.

The trek through the Pridelands turned out to be a memorable experience for the young Outlanders, who thought of how disappointing it was to see so many of its inhabitants take it for granted. Rolling hills with waves of grass that appeared to ripple in the breeze. Streams and rivers trickled into watering holes, allowing for creatures big and small to thrive off the cool, refreshing liquid. Herds, flocks, and other groups of species all congregated together in the bright, warm sunlight or in the pleasant shade. Everywhere you looked the Circle of Life was in full swing.

"Saka? Are you okay back there?"

The group came to a full stop, eyes looking first towards Beshte before towards where his line of sight was focused on the painted wolf waking near the back of the group.

"…I'm fine," Saka answered, though by the despondent tone of his voice, the others were not convinced.

"It doesn't sound like you're fine," countered Fuli as she took a step forward. "What's wrong?"

"Yeah Saka, what's wrong? We survived that flood and we're back in the Pridelands now, so-"

Bunga paused as the wild dog raised a paw to silence him, and as Saka lifted his head to meet the gaze of his comrades, they could see a sullen frown on his face before he lowered it again and sighed. "Can we please not talk about this right now?" Saka asked in a solemn yet pleading tone. "There's something I need to tell all of you, but I'd much rather wait until we get to Pride Rock to do it."

Glances of confusion and concern were shared among the members of the group before they all decided not to push further until they reached their destination. With that silent consensus, they resumed walking.

Eventually the fields of soft grass gently broke out into fertile, yet rocky dirt as a huge kopje broke out of the ground. From even the furthest reaches of the Pridelands it could be seen, a stone lighthouse among the vast sea of grass. Anyone who was upon the great structure could see around the area for miles, so it was no problem for the ruling family of the Pridelands to see the group approaching near the base, and it didn't take long for them to rush down the steps to meet the approaching group.

"Kion! Oh thank the Great Kings we were so worried," Simba cried out as he embraced his son in his arm.

"Where were you? We had Zazu search the entire savanna for you and the Guard and when he came back with nothing, we began to get worried," Nala added as she nuzzled him.

"I'm sorry mom. We were chasing Janja and his clan out of the Pridelands when we got lost in the Outlands. It took us some time to find our way out, but we're all fine," Kion replied, eagerly pressing close to his parents and absorbing their warmth.

"Well we're all glad that you all made it back safely and that you managed to get out by yourselves," Kiara added, coming over to hug her brother. Kion accepted it and held her tightly for a moment before pulling away to look at his family.

"Actually, we didn't get out of there by ourselves, we had some help to get back here." His paw lifted up and pointed towards the Guard, standing right behind him and pressed tightly together. "They're with us if you'd like to meet them."

"I would very much like to meet them, son. Any creature who lends a paw to help another, or to my son, is most definitely a friend of-"

The Guard separated, revealing both Jasiri and Saka to the royal family.

"-mine?"

For a moment, Saka and the ruling family of the Pridelands stared at each other, either in stunned disbelief or in nervous silence. Finally, it was Saka who stepped forward to end the awkward silence.

"Greetings, your majesties," he began in a respectful yet wavering tone. "My name is Saka. I am the son of the leaders of the painted wolf pack in the Outlands. It is an honor to finally meet you." Jasiri, knowing that Kion had already made his family aware of her and her family's nature, bowed as well, but in a much more easygoing way .

"And I'm Jasiri. But I have a feeling you already know who I am."

Shaking off his disbelief, Simba smiled at the hyena and said, "Indeed, Kion's told me about you, how you helped him when he was trying to find Flat Ridge Rock after being separated from the rest of the guard." He then turned his attention towards Saka and continued, "Though I can't say I've heard anything about you."

Saka did not respond, unsure of what to say until Ono glided down next to him and began, "We owe a lot to him you're majesty. If it wasn't for him, we probably would never have made it out of the Outlands, let alone survived a flood that would've gotten us drowned."

"Really?" Simba asked the bird before turning to Saka. "Well then in that case, I ought to thank you for helping out my son and his friends in navigating the Outlands, Saka."

"You're welcome, sire."

"And by the way Saka," added Beshte, "didn't you say there was something you wanted to say to all of us once we got here?"

Saka glanced back over to the hippo before nodding slowly and turning back to his onlookers. All eyes were on the painted wolf, who suddenly felt uncomfortable about being at the center of attention, especially in the presence of the ruling family of the Pridelands. Yet despite his apprehension, Saka gulped and answered, "You're right, Beshte, there is something I have to say to all of you."

Turning back to face the animals around him, he continued, "Specifically, I have an apology and a confession I feel I must share with you all." Turning his attention to Simba and Nala, he began, "Your majesties, despite the fact that I've helped get the Lion Guard home, I feel that I owe you, your son, and his friends an apology."

Furrowing his brow in confusion, Simba inquired, "An apology? What could you possibly have to apologize for?"

"For misjudging you, your majesty," Answered Saka before turning back to the Guard. "For misjudging all of you. Before this day, I couldn't have been more resentful towards the Guard and their way of handling those who would seek to damage or even destroy the Circle of Life."

"What do you mean?" Inquired Nala with a curious glance that was shared by her daughter.

"What I mean is that for as long as I can remember, my pack and I have been living in the Outlands and barely surviving with what little food and water is available to us. I know this may not sound too bad since Jasiri's family lives in similar conditions, but unlike her kind, my species specializes in hunting down larger prey in a pack instead of scavenging for leftovers. But despite that fact, my pack has been reduced to scavenging for what little resources that are available to us out of fear of what would happen if we came into the Pridelands to hunt."

"But why would your pack be afraid of hunting in the Pridelands? You've got nothing to fear from us or the Lion Guard," Kiara interjected.

"Because we're afraid of the possibility of being labelled as enemies of the Pridelands just for trying to hunt for a decent meal," answered Saka before turning back to face the king. "Ever since you reclaimed the Pridelands after getting rid of Scar and driving away all of his hyena and lion followers, your highness, my pack has held onto the assumption that you wouldn't tolerate any damage done to the circle of life after it came so close to being destroyed, regardless of whether it was done by accident or on purpose." He paused to catch his breath and let the information sink in for the ruling family of the Pridelands. "And ever since the members of the Lion Guard came together to protect the Pridelands, my pack has thought it would be far safer to live in the Outlands and scavenge for what little that's available to us instead of hunting in the Pridelands and risk being seen as enemies by accidentally breaking the rules the Guard chooses to uphold."

Saka paused, looking down in shame and unable to meet his spectators' gaze. "The worst part of it is," he continued, "I came to resent the situation my pack lived in because it meant we had to go against our nature as hunters just so everyone won't think we're as bad as Janja's clan or Reirei's pack. Because of that, I felt that the Lion Guard were to blame because their way of handling threats to the Pridelands made us too scared to even consider hunting here, hence why I was so intolerant with them at first when I was escorting them home." Saka paused once more, shame and regret apparent on his muzzle as he turned to face the Guard and added, "…and I had the nerve of accusing you five of being intolerant bigots…"

A pregnant pause filled the air before Kion came up to him. "Saka, I know that you've done things today that you wish you could take back, but you're not the only one here who has something to regret. What happened after Janja and his goons ambushed us was our fault, we shouldn't have assumed you were working with them after you helped us fight them off."

"He's right," Bunga agreed as a carefree smile came to his face. "Besides, we made it out of that flood and back to the Pridelands, didn't we? I'd say everything turned out just fine in the end. Like my uncles say, Hakuna-"

"-Matata. I've heard of that phrase, Bunga, but I hardly think it's appropriate to use to describe my actions today," Saka interrupted. "If Jasiri hadn't found me after I deserted you five and told me about the flood, you all could've drowned. If I hadn't-"

He paused, realizing that that he was beginning to ramble. "But I suppose I'm getting off topic here." He then turned to face the king, continuing in the most sincere and humble tone he could muster. "The bottom line is that I was wrong to misjudge you and your guard, your majesty. It is because of that mistake that I must express my deepest and sincerest apologies to you, your son, the Lion Guard. I can only ask that you find it in your hearts to forgive me."

Simba went silent, genuinely uncertain of what to make of the young painted wolf who was now kneeling before him in regret and humility, asking for something the monarch had not expected him to ask for. After staying silent for quite some time, Simba was able to form a reply.

"Quite frankly, Saka," he began as the painted wolf in question looked up at him, "Of all the things I was expecting to hear from you, an apology was not one of them. Though if what I've just heard is true about how badly you misjudged me and the Guard, I think you've redeemed yourself by helping them return home alive."

Saka looked up at the king with hopeful eyes as he asked, "I have, sire?"

"Indeed," Simba replied with a smile. "And seeing as you were willing to bury your pride and admit that you were wrong, I feel that my son and the Guard were brought home by just the right animal... Next to Jasiri, of course."

Saka stood straight, extreme gratitude evident on his face as he bowed once more, this time in thankfulness for the king's understanding nature.

"Hey Saka?" Kion asked as he stepped towards the painted wolf. "We appreciate the apology and all, but didn't you also say you had something to confess to us?"

Once again, the Lion Guard saw their guide's form sag in regret, and as he took a long, hard breath they could tell that Saka was about to say something that was in no way easy for him to admit. "You're right," Saka began, "there is something I need to confess to you five, and it's about the way I acted towards you when we were still in the Outlands." The members of the Guard looked confused and uncertain as to where Saka was going with his explanation.

"The reason I came off as so resentful towards you five wasn't just because I didn't like how you were doing your jobs…" Saka paused, watching the Guard draw close in anticipation. "It was because I was in envy of you five."

"…Wha-what did you just say?" Bunga asked as a look of shock adorned his face and the faces of his companions, which Jasiri couldn't help but giggle at.

"You heard me," Saka continued as the familiar expression of regret adorned his muzzle. "The reason behind my bad behavior towards you was partially due to my jealousy of you."

"What jealousy?" Jasiri asked in both curiosity and suspicion.

"In spite how bitter I must have appeared towards you, I've always thought that the Guard was something special," he explained. "Deep down, I've always admired that how in spite of the fact that all of you come from a different species, you're able to use your distinctive gifts and abilities for the greater good of the Pridelands. It never mattered that none of you are lions like your leader, what matters is that you defied the odds with how you performed the roles given to you to defend your home. I realized that your values and many of your ideals and goals were what I feel matched mine, and, honestly, I was upset that I couldn't be a part of something great like you five."

Shocked at this revelation, the atmosphere surrounding the Guard and the royal family once again grew quiet. The insight brought to their minds rang true and clear, completely devoid of suspicion or doubt from before. In both the stunned Guard and the monarchs, there was an overwhelming sense of accomplishment, just hearing Saka sing out the positives of the elite Pridelands team despite listing many of its flaws earlier.

"So there you have it," Saka finished in a tone of both finality and regret towards the Guard. "I'm truly sorry for the trouble I've caused for you five today due to my impatience and envy towards you, and I'm relieved that I was able to help you get home. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my home so my pack can stop worrying about how long I've been out for." He then turned and began to walk away with slightly drooping ears, but then he stopped and added, "If any of you want to come by and visit me, all you need is Ono's vision or directions from Jasiri, she knows where my home is in the Outlands. Until then, take care of yourselves guys."

And with that, the young painted wolf turned his attention back to the road ahead of him and began to walk away from the Pridelands' defenders and ruling family, who silently watched their new acquaintance slowly begin his journey home.

"…Jeez, does he ever crack a smile?" Bunga asked rhetorically, which earned him disapproving glares from his friends. "What?"

Turning his attention back towards the retreating painted wolf, Kion suddenly called out, "Saka, hold on!"

The young canine froze at Kion's exclamation, then watched as the Guard hurried in front of him and stood side by side, barring Ono as he stood on Beshte's head while Jasiri stood off to the side.

"Saka, in the brief time we've known you, you've displayed unbelievable strength, kindness, and wisdom," Ono piped up.

"You've shown us that even those who live outside the Pridelands can have good inside them like Jasiri," Fuli added.

"You put your own needs aside and helped us out, even if you didn't want to at first," Bunga threw in.

"Thanks to you, we've become more aware of our own actions and how we affect everything in the Circle of Life, even if it's unintentional," Beshte included.

"And for that we are very grateful to you both for helping not only us, but the entire Pridelands too," Kion finished. Saka could only stare silently at his new acquaintances, genuinely taken aback by their own collective confession and their kind words to him for helping them gain a broader perspective of how they did their duties.

"Dad, is there anyway we can do something for Saka? He's had to go through a lot of trouble today and I think it I'd make sense to reward him for his efforts." As soon as that question left Kion's mouth, all eyes turned towards King Simba, who currently had his brows furrowed together as he contemplated an answer for his son.

After a few short seconds, an understanding smile came to the monarch's face as he replied, "You're right, son. Seeing as how much Saka has had to go through today, I feel it would be inappropriate of us to let him return home unrewarded." He then turned towards the wild dog, who was both stupefied and humbled by this response before continuing, "Out of gratitude for your heroic deeds today, I insist on giving you a reward for your troubles."

"O-of course, your highness. W-what exactly did you have in mind?" Saka curiously asked. A sly grin made its way onto the king's face.

"Tell me, what sort of prey do you painted wolves like the best?"

* * *

"Mama, where's Saka?" Umeme's siblings clustered around her and gazed up at their mother, begging to be told where their oldest sibling was.

"Yeah, where is he mom? I miss him and I'm getting hungry," Obi whined.

"I want Saka!" Maua cried out, leaning against the both of them.

"Saka will be home soon, my darlings," Afiya answered softly, leaning down to nuzzle them. But inwardly, she was almost as worried as they were. The trek from the Outlands to the Pridelands should've been relatively brief, yet it had been hours since she had seen her eldest son or the Guard, and the rest of her pups were getting restless again.

"Yes, listen to your mother children. Saka will be home soon enough," Kondo added, though his eyes were still focused on the entrance to their cave.

"But daddy, what if he won't be? What if-," Maua gasped in horror, "What if he didn't make it to the Pridelands at all?"

"Yeah," Obi added, "What if he-" The pup was gently hushed by his mother whispering and placing a paw on his lips.

"Don't worry about Saka. Your brother's a strong and brave member of our pack. I'm sure he'll be back any-"

"Saka!"

At Umeme's joyful cry, the rest of the pups and the pack turned towards the entrance where indeed the chief's son had returned. His siblings tripped over themselves to greet him, almost knocking him off his paws in their excitement. His parents inwardly let out a sigh of relief at their son's wellbeing, though at the same time they could not help but feel confused at why he had been gone for so long when the trek there and back would've taken much less time than it should have.

Their confusion only grew greater when they approached him and, to their surprise, saw that he had an excited, almost giddy look on his face. Saka, their stalwart, steadfast, and stoic son was grinning wildly.

"Hey guys, did you miss me?" he asked, trying his best to keep them from plowing him down. They instantly started making exaggerated claims on how worried they were, though depending on what they thought had happened to him some were not as far-fetched as they declared.

"We're very happy that you are back home safe, son," Kondo said as he came up to him. "Though many of us are wondering what took you so long and," his eyes lingered on Saka's smile, "what happened while you were gone?"

"Agreed. We were beginning to think of sending out a search party for you, Saka. Are you alright?" Afiya asked, unable to take her gaze away from the almost gleeful look on her eldest child.

Saka nodded and cleared his throat. "I'm fine mom, I am. I'm just really glad to be back home. Also," he turned his head towards the pups and his grin grew wider, "I brought home enough dinner for everyone." As they cheered in delight, he turned back over to his parents, relishing the slightly surprised looks on their faces. He could barely contain his mirth as they gave him grateful smiles.

"That's... that's great son. I can't wait to see what you've caught," Afiya said as she and the pack started exiting the den after Saka.

"Yeah, what did you catch, big brother? A warthog? A dik-dik?" the pups asked, before coming to a stunned halt beside him. Saka's smile grew so wide it made his cheeks hurt.

"Oh, nothing much. Just a full grown wildebeest," he nonchalantly replied, just barely keeping the excitement out of his voice.

To every member of the pack's shock, Saka was true to his word. Right before them laid a freshly-killed wildebeest, untouched and ripe for the eating. Some of the pack oscillated between staring at it and Saka, who was no less than half the creature's height and nowhere near its weight. The pups, however, were first to break out of their stunned stupor with overjoyed screams, hugging their oldest sibling's legs and thanking him repeatedly before rushing over to the dead herbivore to feast. Once they started, several of the others began to come over and join them, seeing as they had no need to wait to eat with such a large carcass.

The only ones who had yet to join in on the large meal were Saka and his thoroughly stunned parents.

"S-s-son," Kondo managed to stutter out after a few seconds, "H-how... I'm glad to say the least on what you've brought the pack, but how were you able to take down a full-grown wildebeest and drag it back home?"

Saka stared at him for a moment before smiling. "Let's just say I had a little help."

Before either of the pack leaders could inquire what their son meant, the soft thumping of footsteps alerted them of a new presence coming up from behind them. The three of them turned around, only for the two pack leaders to freeze once more in silent shock at the sight of the lion king himself standing before them. Several of the pack members glanced up from their meal and looked back, before alerting the rest of them. A few had to pull the pups out of their eating frenzy and pulled them close, shielding them from sight.

"K-k-king Simba," Kondo stammered as he and his mate bowed their heads in reverence while simultaneously trying to keep out the alarm and fear out of his voice. Noticing their fear immediately, Simba gave the friendliest smile he could muster and slowly held up his paw.

"Please, there is no need for that. I'm here on friendly terms and I merely wished to make sure the Wildebeest I gave Saka made it home to you in one piece," he replied, his voice as calm as a breeze on the savanna. Kondo's head rose and he looked confused before peering over his shoulder at the wildebeest, then back at the king.

"You mean that all this-?"

"-Was a gift from me. Well, mostly the hunting party, but nevertheless it is yours now. I felt it would be inappropriate to let Saka return home unrewarded, especially after all the hard work he put in make sure that the Guard made it home safely." He paused a moment to let them bow their heads in gratitude before continuing. "I also wish to speak with you both and Saka about a very important matter that I have been made aware of." He started turning his massive form to the side before nodding his head. "If you would please follow me."

The two clan leaders spared a second to look at one another before nodding and following the king forward.

"Don't worry, you three!" one of the older painted wolves called out to his retreating leaders. "We'll make sure to leave some wildebeest flesh for you when you get back!"

In the central part of the Outlands, caverns and caves were plentiful. Visitors wouldn't need to look far from they stood to find one, and thus Simba did not lead them too far away from the one serving as the pack's home. He also made sure to choose one with a large entrance so as to make the two pack leaders more assured that he meant no harm to them. Finding the ideal cave, he entered in first and calmly sat himself down by the entrance. The others quickly followed in suit and turned so that they were facing him. He waited until they seemed settled in before beginning.

"I have no doubt that you're wondering why I've asked you to come talk with me in privacy." His eyes lingered on Saka for a moment, a motion not overlooked by them. "Through your son, it has come to my attention that your pack's living conditions are…undesirable, as well as the fact that you stand for it. Why is that?"

The two leaders were silent as they took in the harsh truth of the king's words. Finally, Kondo decided to speak up.

"W-well sire, we consider ourselves to be a noble species who have nothing but respect for the Circle of Life. Unlike the hyenas and jackals your Guard has faced before, we make sure to only go after prey that we know will provide enough nourishment for our pack and never take more than what we need.

"But ever since you reclaimed the throne of the Pridelands from Scar, drove away his followers, and brought peace back to the Pridelands," Afiya continued for her mate, "our pack has been living under the belief that you wouldn't tolerate any damage coming to the Circle of Life, even if it was done by accident."

"Because of that," Kondo concluded, "we've been living on a restricted diet of creatures who we doubt anyone would pay too much heed to such as mice, insects, meerkats, and the occasional dik-dik. Also, ever since the Lion Guard formed and made enemies with the likes of Janja and Reirei's packs, we've been living here in the Outlands so as to avoid the chances of everyone assuming we're no better than those two and their followers and having the Guard brand us as enemies of the Pridelands."

"It hasn't been easy for us to live with these changes," Saka added somberly, "we've lost a good deal of pack members to starvation by living this way and the rest of us are only barely managing to survive on what we have available to us. If you think about it, our situation is like standing on a bridge with a pack of hyenas on one end, a pack of jackals on the other end, and crocodiles waiting below you; no matter which decision we make, we somehow end up suffering for it."

Kondo swallowed down the lump building in his throat, felling both disappointed and angry with himself. For years his pack had lived under the philosophy that if they remained in the Outlands, they would be safer in the harsh climate then under the scornful and suspicious eyes of the Pridelanders. At that point, he was unsure whether this choice in lifestyle for his pack had been out of fear or just a deluded means of proving something to those who most likely weren't even aware of his and his packs' existence. Never before had he felt so inordinately regretful for what he made his clan suffer through for years.

His eyes slowly rose to meet Simba's as the king's paw went out to gently press on his shoulder.

"Do not think you are the only one to blame here Kondo. Even as king I will admit that the methods the Guard uses for dealing with predators have their flaws. Your fears of being shunned if you were caught being in the Pridelands are not completely doubtful, since it is common for us to assume that any predator coming into the Pridelands is doing so with malevolent intentions. Yet today I was proven wrong by your son, who has shown me that there is indeed nobility and goodness that can be found in the hearts of outsiders like you. So as king, I can only offer my humblest apologies for the unfairness we may have showed to your clan."

The king averted his eyes from the pair in a display of submissiveness, head bowed as a gesture of regret, silently asking for forgiveness. His head arose when he felt a paw touch his shoulder, matching his own display from earlier.

"If you will find it in you to forgive us for regarding you Pridelanders as haughty and condescending, your majesty, then we would be more than happy to forgive you for any inconveniences you may have caused us."

The king paused for a moment before, to Kondo's short-lived surprise, extended his forelegs in a firm embrace over the much smaller painted wolves. "Thank you both. And as a token of my esteem, I offer you the opportunity to hunt in the Pridelands whenever you please and free access to the herds to feed your pack. While I cannot promise that you won't be met with some opposition from anyone at first, hopefully we should be able to work something out between you and them."

He repressed a much wider grin across his face at the sight of the three canines staring at him, jaws dropped and eyes widened in shock. It took all of his willpower to not laugh when their lips started to curl upwards into smiles.

A few chuckles managed to escape him however once Kondo and Afiya leaped at him, embracing the king in absolute euphoria.

"Oh thank you, your majesty, thank you!" Afiya cried out, thankful tears streaming down her face.

"Yes, you have no idea what this means for our pack. Thank you, your highness," Kondo added, before breaking off sheepishly after realizing who exactly he was hugging. Simba just laughed and patted his shoulder.

"Please, just call me Simba. After all, we are around equal in stature to our clans," he replied. Kondo gave a small nod and smiled. Simba then turned to look at their son, looking back at him with a rare smile was on their face and tail wagging.

"Well it looks like you're going to have an easier time providing for your pack, Saka," he said before turning back to the parents. "You've done a remarkable job raising him to be an expert tracker." Afiya nodded before coming over to gently nuzzle him.

"Yes, we most certainly have," she replied. Saka nodded and came closer to hug her. Kondo joined in, pulling his family close to him. Beside them, Simba smiled at the sight before taking his leave.

* * *

 **I love it when the plot resolves itself and it also was enjoyable to write Saka's family again. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, since the next one is the epilogue. Please leave a review and me and slydog148 will see you next time.**


	7. Epilogue

**Chapter 7: Epilogue**

 **Hey guys, Happy Holidays! We are at the end of this story and it has really been an amazing ride with you guys. Thank you so much for staying with us till the very end.**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

As the mid-morning sun shone over the Pridelands, it filled the savannah's inhabitants with restlessness. For many animals, the glaring heat parched their throats, making them head towards the waterhole to quench their thirst. Others were unaffected by the excess warmth and now found the fields pleasantly void of any competition for food.

So it was upon one of the meadows that a herd of zebra decided to take up temporary residence and partake in the wide variety of lush, soft grasses and herbs that stretched over the landscape like a blanket.

While the herd grazed though, a scout was always on the lookout for any potential threats, even as the sunlight fell mercifully on their faces and obscured their vision.

A breeze came over the herd, sending the hot air filled with fresh scents towards the scout's nostrils. He inhaled deeply when his ears suddenly flared upwards and his body stiffened. Among the fragrance of succulent herbs and fresh leaves was the often mistakable smell of danger. Quickly, his head rose up and he searched towards the direction the breeze had come from.

As the sun baked the earth, the heat rising caused many clear, shimmering ripples in the air that blurred the savanna. Still, the scout was experienced and squinted to get a better look.

And that was when he saw it. Among the wilting and dried grasses surrounding the herd was the form of a crouched down predator slowly stalking towards them.

The scout let out a loud bray, piercing the calm atmosphere and alerting the herd of danger. Those who lifted their heads fast enough spotted the predator, now realizing that he had been discovered, surging towards them.

The herd bolted with the wild dog quickly heading towards the more confused, older members who had not yet perceived the danger. An old mare, several years past foaling and slower than the others, was targeted. She brayed out in alarm, hoping to gain refuge within the numbers of her herd. Body turning towards them, she soon realized that she was surrounded by other members of the pack, hidden quietly and awaiting the moment to strike.

Her body reared up, hooves pawing the sky in an effort to intimidate and sway her attackers, yet they held their ground and slowly pressed closer. She snorted, bucking and kicking up dust. She had lasted all these years and she was not willing go down now so easily.

A wild dog pounced forward, catching her by surprise, and landed on her back. She whinnied loudly, attempting to buck him off. Seeing the weak spots become available, the others surged forward, catching her off balance by body-slamming her front and hitting her legs. As she struggled on the ground, her movements becoming weaker as the predators held her down.

Her eyes met with the leader of the hunt, his amber eyes staring right at her. A warm light swirled in their depths, connecting with her almost on an emotional level. There was no fury, no primitive savagery. There was an almost reverent look in his eyes as he stared at her. A few moments had passed and a connection and acceptance had been made. The old mare gazed at him back, her life story unfolding forth.

 _"I have run with the herd more times that I could count. I have foaled many times. I have fulfilled my role in the Circle of Life. My life is complete, so may what I leave behind sustain yours."_

The leader nodded in understanding before walking over to the equine's neck. Closing her eyes in acceptance of her fate, she felt a jagged clamp on her neck bone that grew tighter and tighter until a snap was heard before her form went limp and lifeless.

"Another successful hunt," a wild dog remarked once he had let go of the old mare's still leg. "This zebra's carcass should last us many days," another agreed. "Excellent job, Saka. Your tracking and quick decision-making skills have been a huge help to our hunt today."

The youngest painted wolf nodded, his face blank except for the small smile on his lips. "I just did what was I needed to do. With a kill like this, I think it's safe to say we won't need to do any more hunting for some time."

An older pack member trotted up and gently prodded his shoulder with her nose. "True, but don't forget how fortunate we are to be allowed to hunt in the Pridelands now. Had it not been for you, we would still be in the Outlands hunting for meerkats and other small animals" Another member approached and nodded warmly.

"Indeed. You must realize that your actions with the Lion Guard have allowed our pack's life chances of survival to become greater than ever before, and that is something we will always admire you for."

Saka turned away, his ears beginning to heat up from the praises of his packmates. Yet despite his modesty, a grin crossed onto his muzzle, unable to ignore the good feeling that it was to know his efforts had changed the life of his pack for the better.

A startled cough escaped his throat as he was playfully shoved by the same painted wolf who had complimented him. "Now come. We should get moving if we want to get this carcass back to the pack before the pups get fussy. You know how they get."

Nodding, Saka walked over towards the front of the zebra, taking hold of the weightier front by the top of the leg while the others took their share. It would be a bit of a trek for the five of them to take their prize to, but the payoff would be worth the journey. Just as they had begun moving though, a name broke through the air.

"Oh, Saka!"

The ears of the painted wolf in question perked up, his eyes darting around while his jaws still remained clamped on the zebra's forearm.

"Saka," came the voice again. A shadow passed over the body and his eyes finally noticed the silhouette of the hornbill circling above them. Soon the silhouette alighted down upon the ground beside him, revealing the variety of blue feathers and vividly colored beak upon the Pridelands' esteemed majordomo.

"I'm glad I could find you here. I've been searching all over the savanna for you," Zazu spoke, his voice slightly edged by tiredness.

"I'm glad you succeeded, but I'm a bit busy at the moment, Zazu." Saka replied, his words badly muffled by the limb in his mouth. However, Zazu could apparently understand enough of him.

"I understand that I may have caught you at a bad time, but I have been sent by the king to escort you to Pride Rock." Saka stared at him, yet his mouth remained clenched upon his prey.

"Now?"

"Yes, now. You have been requested by royal family to discuss a matter of utmost importance. Unfortunately, that matter cannot be disclosed here," Zazu explained. Saka blinked at him for a moment before his eyes darted towards his pack mates. One of them let the leg fall out of their mouth to speak.

"You can go with him. You just let us worry about getting the zebra back home." At the young tracker's unsure eyes, he added, "Really, we can handle moving this home. Right guys?" At the nods of agreement among the rest of the hunting party, Saka was fully reassured and let his limb drop and directed his face back at Zazu with a nod.

"Alright then, I'll go with you. Lead the way."

* * *

To Saka's amazement, once he arrived at the base at Pride Rock, not only was the royal family expecting him, but also the Lion Guard, the Prideland's resident mandrill shaman Rafiki, and Jasiri. To his greater surprise, he saw that his parents and siblings had also arrived and donned smiles as he approached. Jasiri immediately came over to greet him, looking pleased to see her fellow Outlander, yet her eyes portrayed a different emotion.

"Saka! Glad you could make it here!" she greeted, turning around and standing beside him. He regarded her with a polite yet confused nod.

"Make it here for what, exactly?" he asked. She shrugged before turning her head towards the others.

"I'm not sure, but I've been told once you arrived we can start." Sparing her one last confused look, he turned towards where she was looking at.

It was then he realized that what he had come to was some kind of ceremony. The normally pebble-covered ground had been swept clear and some larger stones had been arranged in some sort of path towards the base where the mandrill was position with the royal family and the painted wolves at the right and the Lion Guard at the left. It then occurred to him that they were expected to walk up towards them. Glancing at first his parents, then the king, both signaled with their heads for them to approach.

For a reason unknown to both Outlanders, their legs felt particularly heavy as they made their way up the path. With everyone staring at them with expectant looks, tension began to build up inside the hyena and painted wolf. Their hearts seemed to beat loudly in their head as they closed the distance between themselves and their observers. It felt relieving to them when they were motioned to sit down.

However, the tension seemed to grow back as the Kion appeared beside Rafiki. His face was neutral, yet his eyes had a different tone to them, one which neither Saka nor Jasiri could decipher.

Rafiki suddenly lifted his staff, shook the gourds at the tip, and slammed it down with a loud thunk, startling both of them.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the two creatures whose selfless actions have brought much good to the Pridelands and their inhabitants," he proclaimed loudly enough for everyone present to hear.

Almost immediately after the first sentence, Saka found it within himself to be able to speak once more. "Um, excuse me, I don't mean to sound rude, but what's going on here? If this is some kind of reward for what Jasiri and I've done recently, I think what you've given us so far is enough," he voiced respectfully.

"He's right. With both our packs being allowed to hunt in the Pridelands provided we follow the rules here, I'd say that your permission to let us do just that is enough as it is," Jasiri added, finding the will to speak as well. Rafiki merely shook his head with a smile before shaking his staff at them, the gourds clanking loudly together. Brought up with the reality that he could hit them with it, the two instantly piped back down.

"I wasn't finished speaking. Now as I was saying, you both have demonstrated great qualities among your species." His staff began pointing to each of them as he spoke. Thanks in part to your superior tracking skills and your quick mind and decision-making skills, which both lead you to find the Guard and lead them to safety, you have not only made sure that the Prideland's defenders remain safe and alive today, but also displayed great compassion and respect for both them, the inhabitants of the Pridelands, and the Circle of Life."

Saka briefly averted his gaze, knowing that his initial behavior towards the Lion Guard was anything but compassionate and respectful. Despite this, the primate turned to Kion and smiled. Kion returned it with a nod and a grin before stepping forward.

"And as such, I'd like you both to be part of the Lion Guard, as the Guard's tracker and strategist."

Time seemed to freeze for the pair as soon as that statement emerged from the young prince's lips. Eyes widening as their jaws fell slightly agape, Saka and Jasiri turned to each other, both unable to believe what they just heard and even more uncertain of what to say in response.

"What…what did you just say?," Saka uttered, being the first to break out of his stunned stupor to get clarification from the Lion Guard's leader. Jasiri meanwhile stared at Kion's face, searching for any indication that he was bluffing. Seeing none, she turned to the others, trying to look for any evidence if what Kion had told them was part of an elaborate prank or a false statement, but all she found was sincere smiles from the animals present.

"But why?" she asked.

A chuckle escaped Kion's throat while Rafiki shook his finger at them. "I told you already. I would've thought that you would've listened, especially with the excellent sense of hearing one of you possesses," he said jokingly, the grin on his face betraying his narrowed eyes.

"This isn't a joke, you two. It's a genuine offer for both of you to be part of the Guard," Kion explained. Gesturing at the Guard, they nodded and murmured in reply.

"After what you did in the Outlands, we'd love to have you working with us," Bunga interjected enthusiastically.

"You really helped us in the Outlands," Beshte added.

"We probably never would've have gotten out of there alive if it hadn't been for you two," Ono joined in.

"Which is why the Pridelands needs creatures like you to help maintain the circle of Life," Fuli continued.

"And we'd really appreciate it if you joined us," Kion finished. He walked closer, gesturing them within outstretched paw to come up and become initiated.

Saka suddenly felt as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders at Kion's declaration. Slowly, he made his way in front of the Guard's leader and sat before him, turning his torso slightly to expose his left shoulder more clearly. Smiling, Kion reached out and pressed his paw against it. A flash of light and the faint noise of a lions roar was heard before Kion's paw retracted, the Mark of the Guard appearing where he had just placed his paw. Saka could only gape in awe of the black lion's head that now adorned his fur it before staring at Kion, eyes filled with utmost gratitude.

"Saka…are you smiling?"

All eyes turned towards Bunga, who was looking at Saka as though a third ear had sprouted from his head, unable to believe what he was seeing on the normally-surly canine. The other Guard members were sharing a look of amazement as well, having never seen so much as a smirk on the young painted wolf since first meeting them.

"Woah, I don't think I've ever seen you smile," Beshte remarked incredulously. A grin of his own appeared on his face as he added, "It looks good on you. Maybe you should try it more often."

"Um, guys?" Ono piped up as he cleared his throat. "I don't think we should be interrupting this right now."

Fuli nodded in agreement, ushering the hippo and honey badger to be quiet so that the ceremony could proceed. Kion nodded thankfully at his fellow feline before turning towards Jasiri, whose left foreleg was already presented. Kion's paw touched it, and as before, the flash of light and roar came, leaving behind a grey-lilac lion's head, several tints lighter than the rest of her fur.

"I now pronounce you two the Lion Guard's new tracker and strategist," Simba added, his deep voice catching their attention as he officiated the ceremony with a smile. "Congratulations."

The two new members suddenly found themselves surrounded by their teammates, coming in to embrace them and say their own congratulations of the new positions. Slowly, the excitement of the moment caught up inside the new recruits as they eagerly began to partake and interact with the others. Saka and Jasiri could also see their families looking at them, all of them looking so proud that their sibling/child had become a part of the prestigious Lion Guard.

"Congratulations, indeed," added Rafiki as he approached the new recruits with a calm smile. "I have a feeling that your involvement in the Guard will be of great benefit to the Pridelands. However…"

A stern look adorned the primate's features as he stared at Saka, who instantly tensed under the shaman's scrutinizing gaze.

"There is one issue that I feel should be addressed regarding you, Saka"

"W-what would that be, sir?" The painted wolf asked worriedly.

"Your parents have mentioned that you tend to be rather serious most of the time, even when you are not out providing for your pack," Rafiki answered as he stroked his beard.

"And…and is that a bad thing?"

"Well, not entirely. It is good to know that you prefer to take the wellbeing of your pack seriously. However…" he then lowered his face to Saka's level, the canine gulping in nervousness about the mandrill's intentions. Seconds later, a yelp of surprise erupted from his throat when Rafiki whacked him lightly on the head with his staff, a humorous grin now adorning his features.

"You are still a child, Saka. You may feel that the future of your pack lies on your shoulders with your tracking abilities, but you must remember that you're not the only hunter in your pack. For all the responsibilities you have for your pack and the ones you will have serving the guard, you should still remember to have some fun now and then. You only get to be a child once."

With the mandrill's advice slowly sinking in, Saka tried to remember the last time he didn't have to worry about the welfare of his pack. When he couldn't remember, he slowly nodded and answered, "I'll…I'll try, sir."

"Saka! Saka!"

All heads turned towards the approaching and panting hunting party of four painted wolves. The lead one who had told Saka to go ahead without them came forward, his breathing ragged and his voice strained.

"Saka. Forgive us for interrupting, but I bring dire news," he panted out between gulps of air. The female from earlier impatiently shoved him out of the way as she stepped up.

"Jackals! R-Reirei's pack! They swooped in and stole our kill!" she added.

Saka stared for them at the moment before turning towards the others, an expectant and resolute look in his eyes. They stared back at him before nodding in approval before he turned back.

"Don't worry, we'll get it back," Saka announced, before turning to Kion. The lion nodded before leaping a pace before them and turning his head over his shoulder to signal them to action.

"Well c'mon team. Let's go stop those jackals. Until the Pridelands end!"

"Lion Guard defends!" they chorused in unison, Jasiri and Saka's voices being the loudest of the group as they all ran from the ceremony to protect the Pridelands, defend the Circle of Life, and send the Jackals back where they came from.

While they ran, a pleased smile spread across Saka's muzzle, the young hunter knowing that things were beginning to turn around not only for himself, but also for his family.

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

 **End of story! We hope you enjoyed this last chapter and that you enjoyed reading all the way through. Thanks again for checking our story out. And thank you slydog148 for being my collab partner for this story. I had a wonderful time doing this with you and I hope to collaborate with you more in the future. To everyone else, thanks for reading. Sincerely, V.t.7 and slydog148**


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